Logic for cyclists

[Robmit 7]

I agree that cycling on town and village footpaths should continue to be illegal.   However, where footpaths exist on country B roads (e.g., B5069) Oswestry to Ellesmere road) which is full of sharp curves and HIGH SPEED DRIVERS, cyclists should be permitted to use the footpaths on the understanding that they dismount when nearing a pedestrian.

 

I understand that the law currently states that cyclists can be fined up to £1000 for riding on country footpaths which seems to me to be totally wrong and a great discouragement for cycling.

[leebarnfield 30]

£1000 fine does indeed seem a little harsh.  The only way you could achieve this would be to add an official cycle lane/path to the route you mention.

 

Without a path, there would be no distinction where is and isn't considered acceptable to ride on the pavement.

[Maggie 65]

I think Shropshire is very poorly served by cycle paths.  many other places have designated paths drawn either on the road or on the footpath.  Why cannot we have the same thing here?  The fact that it is illegal to ride a bike on a footpath puts many people off.  Weston Rhyn Parish Council have asked the police to stop cyclists on footpaths in the village, but when the alternative is a dangerous road then people won't use their bikes.

[Simple Simon 36]

Is this anything to do with the article by the West Mercia Police in the most recent issue (Autumn 2014) of the parish newsletter?

 

There is some confusion regarding cycling on pavements. There is a cycle/pedestrian path along a stretch of the road to Whittington (from Oswestry), but it's not really that clear where exactly the pavement ceases being a cycle path.

[Robmit 7]

£1000 fine does indeed seem a little harsh.  The only way you could achieve this would be to add an official cycle lane/path to the route you mention.

 

Without a path, there would be no distinction where is and isn't considered acceptable to ride on the pavement.

I agree with you Lee and it is difficult to get perfection as, obviously, the cost of a designated cycle lane would be prohibitive.  However appropriate signs would not and might be a reasonable solution.