HIGH hopes for cyclists in Darlington with the news this week that £260,000 (council and Sustrans money) is to be spent on safer bike routes. Another £900,000 may be spent creating a Stockton to Darlington cycle route along the S&DR's original 1825 railway trackbed.

Spectator wishes all these schemes success (although £900,000 sounds an awful lot of money for a cycle way). Help for cyclists is just one of the transport areas where we lag so far behind our European neighbours.

But the borough council's track record, as it were, on cycle paths is mixed, to say the least.

The legendary first bit of brown tarmac, which leads, oh, 30 yards from the town hall car park to the middle of a busy roundabout before petering out, is not exactly well used. In over a decade of lunchtime wandering, Spectator has seen one bike on it - just a few months ago. Such was the surprise, Spectator was almost knocked down by the cyclist, as he had taken to strolling along the path oblivious to any danger.

But Spectator's favourite is the elaborate circular affair around the junction of Woodland Road and Carmel Road South.

No cyclists have been spotted on this one yet, which is hardly surprising. Starting abruptly in the middle of a very busy stretch of road, the system wheels away across several almost impossible-to-cross carriageways until, if you have obeyed its one-way instructions, you end up heading back the way you came.

Star treatment

DESPITE his election defeat and subsequent relinquishing of the Tory party leadership, Mr William Hague's popularity with his constituents appears undiminished, especially among the younger element.

At a visit to Croft primary school last Friday, Mr Hague was besieged by young fans seeking handshakes, photographs and autographs.

However, Mr Hague was not the only one afforded the pop star treatment.

Having obtained his moniker in books and on scraps of paper, the eager children turned their attention to the D&S Times photographer, Nigel Whitfield.

Looking slightly bemused and more than a tad embarrassed, he duly obliged by giving his autograph to several of the youngsters. Lord Snowdon eat your heart out!

Rage in the rain

So clouds, or rather cloud bursts, do have silver linings. The cross-town return journey in Darlington on Monday afternoon coincided with a cracker of a rainstorm, with unexpected consequences.

All traffic slowed down, headlights went on, room was left for other road users, courtesy became the norm and brain power took over from the right foot.

How unlike Friday when, on the stretch from Hutton Bank coming north from Ripon, two dicing fools were oblivious to all but their ego while overtaking on bends.

Spectator can only assume the second driver frightened even himself, for he failed to crash a roadworks red light and eventually drove off at a sensible speed