A Moray campaigner has been told to get on his bike by Transport Scotland after trying to re-open an old cycle path.
Neil Jeronim, who lives in Dyke near Forres, has been pushing for the route, which runs with the A96, to be reclaimed from the wilderness.
But, after campaigning for nearly a decade to have thick shrubbery cleared from the path between Forres and Brodie, Transport Scotland bosses have told him to stop bothering them.
However, the activist has insisted he intends to keep up the pressure until the path is useable once again.
Mr Jeronim said: “They kept telling me there isn’t a path there. To prove [they were wrong], I sent them maintenance records and got told my behaviour was unacceptable and they wouldn’t be writing to me anymore.
“I got told to go to a meeting in Brodie about the speed limit to get some answers but, as soon as I said who I was, they said they couldn’t speak to me.
“The path’s unusable in its current state. You can hardly even see it now. Maybe Transport Scotland don’t want to know there’s a path there.”
Mr Jeronim, who was joined by supporters at the roadside yesterday, has been campaigning for eight years to have the route restored to its former glory.
A petition from Dyke resident, calling on Moray Council to step in and clear the grass and gorse off the path, attracted more than 2,500 signatures.
The authority has backed the activist’s campaign to have bike paths included as part of the project to dual the A96 through the region.
Mr Jeronim added: “I remember the path was very well used in the past. All you need to do is look at what has been built between Mosstodloch and Elgin.
“Brodie would be very similar and I see no reason why it wouldn’t be as busy as the one from Mosstodloch”
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “We have engaged proactively on this matter since 2008 and remain of the view no formal path currently exists at this section of the A96 – this view has also been supported by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.
“However, a national cycle route from Brodie to Forres is in place via National Cycle Route (1) which runs on quieter local roads away from the A96 and is more suitable and safer for cyclists.”
