PUBLIC spending watchdogs say £84,000 of taxpayers’ money was “frittered away” on ill-fated plans for a Boris Bikes-style scheme in Hampshire.

The Taxpayers’ Alliance has criticised the amount of cash the New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) spent on devising a cycle hire system before scrapping the project two months ago.

As reported in the Daily Echo, the £2 million scheme was due to be funded using Department for Transport (DfT) money awarded for green transport initiatives.

Cycle enthusiasts would have been able to hire 250 bikes at 20 docking stations across the Forest.

The eco-friendly scheme, aimed mainly at visitors to the area, was backed by a 2,100-name petition and also received the support of British Olympic gold-medal winning cyclist Chris Boardman.

But NPA members dropped the idea, blaming “anti-cycling sentiment” in the Forest and doubts about the long-term financial viability of the project.

Yesterday it emerged that the taxpayer-funded authority spent £84,100 of the DfT grant on the idea before it was dropped in August.

Taxpayers’ Alliance campaign manager Andy Silvester said: “This represents a total waste of money, especially when public finances are in such a torrid state.

“Hard-pressed taxpayers will be furious that thousands of pounds have been wasted on a scheme that from the start was clearly not financially sustainable.

“The authorities are to be applauded for finally scrapping the scheme, but they must be held accountable for the money already frittered away."

Last night an NPA spokesman said the preparatory work was carried out in line with conditions imposed by the DfT.

He added: “Expenditure was incurred in accordance with grant rules to investigate the viability of the scheme and look into legal, financial and operational barriers which would need to be overcome in a protected landscape.

“After careful consideration, members decided not to proceed over concerns regarding the financial sustainability of the project.

“There was also concern about the mixed results of a community feedback survey, which showed a lack of strong support for the scheme among residents and parish councils.

“We believe we were right to develop this ambitious scheme.

“However, as with all innovative projects, there is an element of risk. Members believed that proceeding would not have been a prudent use of taxpayers’ money.”

The decision was welcomed by people who feared the scheme would attract too many extra cyclists to the Forest.

Cash earmarked for the project is now due to be spent improving roads and cycleways in a move that would benefit residents as well as visitors.

However, the DfT will have to approve the new plans.