SWINDON'S multi-million pound cycle route network has been branded a waste of money by Conservative councillors.

The comments were made as the council cabinet debated a £16 million programme of capital projects for the new financial year.

Included in the council's building schemes for next 12 months is £640,000 worth of new cycle routes.

Conservative leader Mike Bawden (Old Town and Lawns) said: "There's a game they play in my ward which is called spot the cyclist.

"I believe they are an endangered species.

"If we were a commercial organisation there wouldn't be any cycle tracks going anywhere."

Councillor Owen Lister (Abbey Meads, Con) said: "We need an accurate assessment of the use made of the many miles of cycle paths constructed in this borough over the last few years.

"Is this a priority in our spending? I can think of many other things which we can spend our money on."

Council leader Kevin Small (Western, Lab) said he believes the council should press on with the cycle network.

He said: "I believe the more we can encourage people to use cycling as a form of transport the healthier our society will be.

"Cycleways are an investment in the future and this is transport money.

"It is part of a grant given to us by the Government to spend on transport-related schemes."

Other items in the capital programme were less contentious.

There was cross-party support for the £3 million allocated for the first stage of the £15 million project to provide a new central library and to convert the former railway museum on Faringdon Road into an art gallery.

The library is expected to cost £12 million and has been promised within the next three years.

The rest of the funding for it is expected to come from the sell-off of council assets such as land.

Coun Small has yet to reveal details about the proposed sell offs on the grounds that they are commercially sensitive.

Other items in the capital programme include school modernisation and building, road projects and £150,000 towards the cost of providing a roof for Highworth's outdoor swimming pool.

The programme was approved in its entirety by the predominantly Labour cabinet.