Email: Cycles off towpaths

This weekend saw a serious report on the national news networks concerning the danger and harm posed by motorcycles and off road 4x4 vehicles using green lanes in the North of England.

The dangers to walkers, joggers and horse riders were highlighted and activists called for the offending vehicles to be banned from inappropriate use of the green lanes.

I sympathise with the calls for this inappropriate use of green lanes to be curtailed, they are an historical resource that was never designed or intended for use by vehicles, and it is perfectly reasonable to point out the dangers of mixing vehicles and walkers on a narrow lane.

And may I again point out that I think the reasoning for this call to ban vehicles from green lanes not only is sensible, but it also backs up the call from Canal Users to get pedal cycles off the towpath, which should be done for exactly the same reasons highlighted in the news reports, not only green lanes are narrow, so are towpaths in fact in many cases as we know they are only just a bit wider than a metre in places.

I wrote to narrowboatworld some time ago giving some of my own observations on pedal cyclists, but since then the situation has worsened and it is now a situation where you take your life in your hands if you step off your boat.

The waterways authorities have been warned and must take responsibility for any persons injured because of their total complacency on this matter.

Frank Hurst