Knocked over by fast cyclist

AS SOMEONE who witnessed a lady being knocked over by a fast cyclist on a towpath and the culprit speeding off I acclaim your publishing towpath dimensions, writes Henry Burchell.

It was at Bathampton [Kennet & Avon Canal] where it happened and she was stepping around my moorings at the same time as the cyclist came so they collided, with the lady knocked over, hurting her arm as she fell.

Glazed arm

My wife and I invited her into our boat and gave her a cup of tea and she washed the grazed arm, so was then not too bad.

But this towpath is really dangerous as it is used for those time trials that Canal & River Trust seem to encourage, with time trial from Bathhampton to Bath with cyclists attempting to better their speeds, so I was pleased to learn from Paul Robinson's article that 'two-way' paths, such as the towpaths must have a minimum of 5 metres. Yet there is nothing like 5 metres (16 feet) as there should be.  And as the the width for time trials...

It is about time CaRT saw some sense in all this, as it is clearly obvious that the new upgraded towpaths are not fit for purpose.  I am contacting the local council to tell that their upgrading of towpatha are breaking the rules.