Dread opening of shared route

However, the fact is, and always will be, that although most residents take good care of their pets and take pride in their local habitat, there are those who don’t give a fig about how their actions spoil the lives of other people in their community. This applies to every facet of life in towns and cities in the modern age.

So now to the real reason for this letter.

Bearing the above in mind, I, among many, dread the opening of a cycle path through the park. Every day I walk my dog there. I mean every day except for perhaps seven to 10 days of the year when I am away.

Our park is beautifully maintained, and is one of the last contacts with nature that most people can enjoy these days. One can have peace and tranquillity, a contact with others, enjoy leisure facilities, be close with children and family, all within a safe quiet and technology free(ish) area.

I can assure whoever dreamt up this scheme to conform with ‘guidelines’, or opportunity to grab some government money or whatever the motivation was, that there will be a good number of cyclists who will steam through this area at high speed with the knowledge that any damage to others they inflict will justify their accusations that it was the dog/child/old person who was to blame for any accidents that will inevitably occur.

The movement through an area like the park should take time in order to take in the beauty and watch the wildlife while enjoying the seasons. Cyclists who use the park at the moment use it as a freeway in order to get from A to B as quickly as possible and, like a lot of the joggers, seem to expect anybody walking to clear out of their way so they can have unimpeded access to the paths.

I don’t know what the latest situation is regarding this cycle path. Either the council, or you at the Observer should make it public how we stand, because this could well be one of those things that just happen as we are not able to find out where the decisions are taken.

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