Cycling responsibly for safer streets

Road safety officers are reminding cyclists to ride on the road and not on the pavement.

With the summer holidays in full swing, more children and adults turn to cycling for leisure or transport – which can lead to conflict with pedestrians.

Ken Asquith, senior engineer at Bury Council, said: “Many cyclists are very safety conscious and show respect to other road users. However, some do not realise that riding on the pavement is against the law; nor do they appreciate the dangers this can pose to pedestrians, particularly those who are blind or disabled.

“Some footways are shared spaces and these are clearly marked and signed. In those instances both cyclists and pedestrians should look out for one another.

“If cyclists are not confident enough to share road space, there are numerous off-road cycle routes in Bury linked to the National Cycle Network. These include the ‘Banana Path’ in Radcliffe and the Kirklees Trail from Greenmount to Bury, which are part of Sustrans Route 6.

There are plans to further develop the on-road and off-road cycle network in Bury through the Cycle City Ambition Grant.”

He added: “We would not recommend that children cycle on the road until they have received cycle training. The council’s road safety team currently offers Bikeability Level 1 and 2 to all primary schools.”

Transport for Greater Manchester also offers free cycle training courses for adults.

For details of the National Cycle Network, see http://cycling.tfgm.com/Pages/default.aspx

ENDS

Press release issued: 18 August 2015.