‘Rethink on West Sussex cycle policies needed to keep cyclists safe’

I am constantly dismayed by the failed attempts by Chichester District Council and West Sussex County Council to make cycling safer. Safer for all: pedestrians, road users and cyclists.

Mixing pedestrians and cyclists is not safe any more than mixing vehicular traffic with cyclists or pedestrians.

We all want and need safe routes. Marking off the edge of a road with a line is not creating a safe cycle track.

Sharing a footpath amongst pedestrians and cyclists is not creating a safe cycle track either.

Cyclists with the added weight of a bike with its sharp protrusions still represent a serious weapon if they run into a human at 12-15mph.

Pedestrians are unpredictable: older people don’t hear a bell nor do they walk in straight lines but wander unpredictably, children are totally unpredictable and dog walkers, especially those with long retractable leads, are an outright danger to cyclists.

Now we read that CDC is cooing about another ‘great’ plan for a new cycle route from Chichester to Emsworth. But it will use mostly existing footpaths, so sharing with pedestrians.

We need to encourage more people to cycle. It keeps people fit taking strain from the NHS, takes strain off public transport and strain off the roads whilst saving masses of pollution. So, by building proper cycle tracks exclusively for cycles is a massive win-win for everyone.

Remember that if the electric scooter trials are successful, we could see another form of transport needing to use these cycle tracks too.

So please rethink the policies and start creating real cycle lanes and stop wasting money on ideas that keep no one happy. It is 2020 and pedestrians need safe footpaths, cyclists need safe cycle tracks and vehicles need safe roads. They do not mix.