A familiar sight. Tacks have been found on the Island Bay cycleway.

About 30 tacks have been found outside a playcentre on the controversial Island Bay cycleway in Wellington.

The discovery of the tacks came late on Sunday and has been slammed by new Wellington City councillor for the southern ward Fleur Fitzsimons.

"It's very disappointing if they've been deliberately put there," Fitzsimons said.

ROSS GIBLIN/STUFF In September 2017, Wellington Mayor Justin Lester proposed a compromise solution for the layout of the Island Bay Cycleway.

"It puts people's safety at risk."

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The council received a report of about 30 drawing pin-sized tacks found on The Parade in Island Bay on Monday morning.

ROBERT KITCHIN/STUFF Hundreds of people turned out to a protest in December supporting the Island Bay 'Option E' cycleway plan. (File photo)

The tacks apparently caused a number of punctures.

Council contractors cleaned up the area soon after, a council spokeswoman said.

It's not the first time tacks have been found on the cycleway, which has been a flashpoint of neighbourhood dispute.

ROSS GIBLIN/STUFF The Island Bay Cycleway has been a flashpoint of neighbourhood tension.

Fitzsimons appealed to the community to "let calm heads prevail".

If anyone had information about the tacks they should contact police, she said.

Fitzsimons said she was committed to working with the community as the next stage of the Island Bay Cycleway compromise was implemented.

President of the Island Bay Residents' Association Incorporated Vicki Greco said of the tacks on the cycleway; "it's sad".

"I hope no one would actually do that. You don't put anyone's safety at risk."

Patrick Morgan, Cycle Action Network Wellington spokesman, said no-one could be be sure how the tacks got there but said if they caused an unexpected puncture it could cause someone to lose control of their bike and potentially cause serious harm.

He added that children were back at school this week and that it was "a low thing to do to your neighbours".

If tacks were on a cycleway they should be swept up and council contacted, he said.

The good news was that when tacks were found on the cycleway back in April 2016, Cycle Action Network Wellington auctioned them for charity and raised $200, Morgan said.

That may happen with the latest discovery.

The cycleway along The Parade in Island Bay has been controversial since it was first mooted in 2011.

Complaints have largely been focused on its layout. The cycleway sits between the footpath and off-street parking, which has cut down the space available to vehicles and given the appearance of cars sitting 1.5 metres out from the kerb.