Concerns over conflict between walkers and cyclists dismissed as “doom-mongering”
The route of the new cycleway through Victoria Park, Bideford and the town.(Image: Google/ Torridge District Council)
A historic by-law banning cycling in Bideford’s Victoria Park is to be overturned to promote the sport especially to children and create a safer off-road route through the town.
Torridge District Council ’s community and resources committee agreed cyclists could use existing pathways despite concerns that it would cause conflict between them and walkers.
It will form part of a new recreational route linking Bideford to Northam and Westward Ho!
Cllr Chris Leather (Ind, Northam) called the cycleway “ridiculous and unnecessary” fearing it would conflict with Saturday morning ‘park runners’.
And he said the new route would cross several entrances and exits to places like the rugby club and children’s centre, a busy public footpath and the bowling club.
“All along this route there are conflicts,” he said. “It’s a crazy scheme that is potentially dangerous. I don’t know why are we putting cyclists in the park when there is a much better route along the quay. I reckon if you put it out to public consultation it would get a lot of objections.”
His concerns were shared by Cllr Philip Pennington (Non-aligned, Monkleigh and Putford) who said he counted around 300 people at a recent rugby match which was a lot of people to put at risk.
But Cllr Philip Hackett (Ind, Broadheath) said accident statistics did not support the concerns over mixed use paths.
He said the Camel Trail in Cornwall was the most used shared path in the country with thousands of people using it every day including horseriders, cyclists and walkers and there were no issues.
And Cllr Lyndon Piper (Lib Dem, Holsworthy) called Cllr Leather’s comments “doom-mongering”.
Encouraging people to use bikes instead of cars when Bideford did not have enough car parking space was a good thing, he said, the existing paths were wide in the park, and it was a place where families could teach their children to cycle.
Councillors rejected a route through the park two years ago as it was proposed to go past the children’s play area and paddling pool and they thought it was the wrong position.
The item was brought back to the committee this week after more work from the ‘active travel’ group.
Officers considered that the current cycle route through Bideford had a higher potential for conflict and injuries as it went through the busy Bank End car park and Riverbank House offices.
They said the park route would be for recreational use only and experienced cyclists and commuters could and probably would continue to use the existing route.
Costs to the council would be around £600 to install additional signage and lane markings.
Cllr Teresa Tinsley (Lib Dem, Bideford North) said people who wanted to cycle and especially children who wanted to learn should be allowed to share the park “with the rest of us”.
She said it would take the pressure of the narrow lane in front of Riverbank House currently used by cyclists and avoid an area where there had been serious road traffic accidents.
Members supported the proposal by six votes to four with one abstention.