Letter: Consider walkers as well as cyclists’ needs

As I stay at home during this present crisis, I observe with interest the changes that have occurred on Otley Road (and no doubt many other roads in the area) over the past two months.

No traffic congestion, no morning and evening queuing of traffic, no air pollution, no noise pollution and a corresponding increase in pedestrians and cyclists – mainly ‘taking exercise’ rather than going anywhere specific.

I also note that the majority of cyclists are using the road, and not the pavements, to conduct their journey – even those with children. The pavements are pretty full anyway with the increase in pedestrians.

In the Advertiser of April 30, Mr Margolis makes the case for a change in habits for a more environmentally friendly world. There is much there that I, as someone who has been concerned with the environment my whole life, can agree with (indeed I was cycling to work in the 1970s, long before you could get a Government grant towards it).

However, it is well known that I oppose the proposed cycle path on Otley Road.

I would point out that with the increased emphasis on sustainable transport methods, walking is now also being brought to the forefront in this effort to change our transport habits.

With this in mind it makes even less sense now to construct this cycle path as currently designed – there is hardly enough room as things stand to ‘socially distance’ and to even think of taking away precious pavement space from pedestrians, for a cycle path, in the current circumstances is ridiculous.

NYCC needs to reconsider this decision urgently, come and see what is actually happening on our road and construct a cycle path that plays its part in restricting traffic congestion, not penalising walking.

The cause of the problems on Otley Road is the traffic. Deal with that, not the symptoms and allow cyclists to use the road space not the pavement.

Then we can all look forward to a cleaner, less polluted future, where your choice of ‘active travel’ - walking or cycling - does not conflict with the other, whilst maintaining the conditions that we should all be observing.