Danger of towpath cyclists

THERE are now a continuous stream of complaints of the way cyclists are using the towpaths, with one lady so incensed she took to the local newspaper to warn others of the dangers of cyclists on towpaths.

Writing in the Bromsgrove Advertiser, Mrs Grazier, told that she walked with her husband along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal towpath in Stoke Pound leading to the Queen's Head pub, went round a bend and two small children riding bicycles came behind them rather fast so we quickly moved, and wrote:

Used as a training track

'We decided to return and as we rounded the corner their father cycled fast past us and I asked if he should buy a bell and he shouted ‘no'. There were also at least five or six or more cyclists cycling quite fast down the towpath and only one rang a bell as he approached from behind. They appeared to be using the towpath as a training track.

This type of behaviour could prove dangerous as it is quite possible for somebody, cyclist, walker, or unaccompanied child, to fall into the canal.

We have been walking canal towpaths for over 40 years and have never felt unnerved as we felt today. Surely these people should realise that the canal towpath was built for horses to tow the canal boats.

Also one cyclist returned up the towpath and constantly rang his bike bell—puerile behaviour!'