Email: Most cyclists responsible

As a resident of a village mentioned and shown in the television programme referred to, I can speak from the heart on the matter of trail bikers and 4 x 4 drivers on back roads

Similarly on the towpaths—it is probably right to think that most cyclists there are perfectly responsible citizens who would take care as to not present any danger to others. Indeed let us remember that a small number may even be boaters going shopping or lock wheeling. As usual it is a small minority who wish to speed along the towpath verging on being reckless as to whether anyone else is hurt as we have heard from several sources here recently.

In all reality could any of us put together a form of words for a law which allowed the towpath to be used for cycling legitimately by boaters and perhaps family groups but not by racers? Have British Waterways (or Canal & River Trust) got any resources to throw at the problem? Even if we get volunteer lengthsmen how will they identify offenders.

No—as usual in this life and in this country now the majority will just have to tolerate the anti social behaviour of a few. Those who rip brass off boats and war memorials, those who use the roads as their personal property, the country lanes and towpaths as their own personal speed tracks.

To add insult to injury I have today found out that there is to be a public enquiry soon in our village about opening up another lane to 4 X 4s. The file of documents is available at our village post office—three box files of papers which we cannot remove from the shop. We would thus have to devote half a day standing there to find out what's happening—except that on the first page I found that should I wish to lodge an objection I had to do so by four weeks ago!

John Harwood

5 New Close

Eyam

Hope Valley

01433631297