I WRITE in response to Iain AD Mann’s letter (August 10) in which he suggests cyclists could share the footway with pedestrians to reduce the frustration of road users.

Our pavements are already much too narrow and used by a range of people; we should not be adding people on bikes to this overcrowding.

We hear from our supporters that, when people do cycle on the pavements it can make them feel vulnerable, especially those who are visually impaired, suffer hearing loss or have mobility issues.

Allowing people on bikes onto the footways is not a substitute for high quality, on-road cycle lanes.

Living Streets Scotland supports dedicated space for cyclists to discourage pavement cycling.

This will make people feel happier to walk and cycle more and maybe drive less.

Instead of trying to appease road users, we should be trying to reduce the motor traffic in our towns and cities and the amount of space it takes up.

Stuart Hay, Director, Living Streets Scotland, 5 Rose Street, Edinburgh.

IAIN AD Mann suggests that cyclists should be able to use pavements to keep them out of the way of buses and motor vehicles. This is a recipe for disaster.

For the commuter cyclist, bus lanes are a godsend, keeping them clear of motorists who are generally in a rush, thus making the commute much safer.

The argument that cyclists cause any significant delay to buses does not hold. At busy times, buses are stopping every few hundred yards and, outwith these times, buses are usually able to pass cyclists easily.

Pavement cycling is dangerous for both pedestrians and cyclists as well as significantly slower for the cyclist.

The cyclist loses priority at every junction and is constantly braking and accelerating. On busy roads a competent cyclist is often able to keep up with the motorised traffic and, with the ability to filter past stationary traffic, can often complete short journeys more quickly than somebody using a car.

Boyd Johnston,

45, Greenways Court,

Paisley.