I don't like the way the thing is carried out in
practice on many an occasion. The usual paint a bike on a path and it's a
'facility'

If only it were that easy, it could have saved Sustrans a whole lot of
money.

and how the routes between towns are often very convoluted and
not the best route from A to B by bike.

but your favourite route from A to B may differ from mine.

It also fosters the idea that
bikes do not belong on roads

In what sense? The National Cycle Network takes in a lot of roads, and
mainly quiet ones - which is nice. My first touring ride was
on a Sustrans path (Bristol to Bath), I had an awful mountain bike and all
my gear in a rucksack to camp overnight. I had an excellent time and I was
hooked, didn't look back. I doubt I'd have had such an excellent time if
I'd gone for a ride down the A4., wobbling all over the road.

While many Sustrans paths may not be suitable for racing, I don't think
that is entirely surprising, given that road cyclists like umm roads.
As far as I can see, Sustrans is about creating a movement, helping people
to make their first steps into cycling and then supporting them (I've
cycled a number of National Cycle Network routes, and will continue to).
While some of the network isn't suitable for commuting, it does provide
the original incentive to start riding which gives you the confidence to
take it one step further, which is exactly what I did. That said, in many
places their network is used for commuting, I can't comment for other
parts of the country but down here, the Bristol - Bath path is a very busy
one, with traffic flowing in both directions.

I do not believe it harbours the idea that cyclists have no place on the
road. When learning to drive a car, who doesn't search for an off-road
place to begin, to have those introductory lessons where you are working
out how to change gear, to brake etc?

There appears to be 2 schools of thought, those who think it is wrong to
remove cyclists from the 'street scene' by building paths away from roads,
and those that believe that a path away from a road is bliss. Personally,
if the quality of the path is good, I'd far rather be away from the road,
for reasons of safety and enjoyment.

I agree that some of the National Cycle Network has problems, I've cycled
on some awful tracks, and it frustrates me. On the whole, I am a big fan
of Sustrans though. If you don't want to cycle on their network, don't,
but certainly don't complain that they are inadequate, unskilled, not
interested in their jobs or otherwise, because that is clearly
disrespectful to an organisation which is trying to encourage the use of
the bicycle, and are very alone in this quest.

Tom