Email: Fair and reasoned

There is nothing better than a fair and reasoned exchange of views, so in that spirit I respond to Barry Kenn and Kevin Howell re my concerns on the question of pedal cyclists on the towpath.

I agree there are many responsible cyclists on the towpath, and speaking from experience of the canals I travel in my local area I dispute that it is the majority that are responsible here.

As for Kevin's quote re a ban being inappropriate, and should we go the whole hog and ban fishermen, dog walkers, mobility scooters and pushchairs etc, I respond in that I am not at great risk of being injured or pushed into the canal by a rogue fisherman dog walker or mobility scooter.

I navigate on the Bridgewater Canal, and bikes were never legal here and banned here from time long past, in fact nearly every bridge has a no cycling sign still on them so it was done for a reason. Just ask any member of the federation of Bridgewater cruising clubs, especially those at the Manchester end of the navigation, where it is positively dangerous especially during the morning and evening commute, also check out previous posts on this site concerning Regent's Canal and other London canals.

The cycle traffic here on the Bridgewater in the last five years has expanded exponentially and is now dangerous, as I said on previous occasions, I have no problem with responsible cyclists, but towpaths were never ever designed intended or suitable for cyclists, it is crazy to mix pedestrians and cyclists, and a health and safety survey of towpath suitability for cyclists would never come down in favour of mixed use, I have just entered 'towpath incidents cyclist' on a search site and you get numerous hits.

If you are happy with cyclists on your waterway that is your right and I will support you saying so, but I and other like minded people on our waterway are not and we say so, I will not wait for a serious injury to myself or my wife if I see a danger I say so, and I have years of experience in assessing and dealing with such incidents.

Frank Hurst