Vicar worried about cycle route using busy footpath

A VICAR has raised concerns over a proposed cycle route in Henley.

The town council is considering introducing a designated route from the Tesco supermarket in Reading Road to Fair Mile without using an arterial road.

The route would include the path between Church Street and Hamilton Avenue, which is used by pupils walking to and from Trinity Primary School.

Cyclists are already required to dismount before using this pathway but the signs that instructed them to do so have been vandalised and not replaced.

Rev Duncan Carter, vicar of Holy Trinity Church, who chairs the school’s governors, has written to the council warning of the potential danger to pedestrians.

He said he was in favour of introducing cycle lanes in the town but they needed to be properly designated and maintained.

Mr Carter said: “My concern is the section of what I understand is the proposed route between Church Street, Greys Hill and Vicarage Road. Currently, there is a paved public footpath that allows foot access along this route.

“This path is used for upwards of 1,000 foot journeys per day in term time for access to Trinity Primary School in Vicarage Road and Sacred Heart primary in Greys Hill.

“It is also a principal route for students for The Henley College from the station to the college and is used by many other local pedestrians.

“According to the Highway Code, it is an offence to ride a bike on a public footpath. This makes sense, especially along a route frequently used by small children and in such numbers.

“For that reason alone it would be dangerous to designate this section of footpath as part of a cycle route.

“Even if the expectation was that people might dismount and give priority to pedestrians that advice simply doesn’t work and will be encouraging increased use of a route unsuitable for the purpose.

“The modern trend is for these routes to be used not only by pedal cyclists but also those using electric bikes and scooters, which are faster and more dangerous to pedestrians in such a confined space.”

The letter was discussed at a meeting of the council’s transport strategy group.

Stefan Gawrysiak, a town councillor who chairs the group, said: “The normal practice is that cyclists should dismount by Trinity school at the top of Hamilton Avenue and get on their bikes in Church Street and this should continue. There should be signs saying that.”

Patrick Fleming, a member of the Greener Henley environmental group, said: “Is there a way of identifying the footpath in some way?

“For instance, the obvious one would be that bright red paint that the county [council] use on certain parts of the highway, so that it makes it blatantly obvious that it is a bit different from where cyclists have just ridden.

“I do feel that Duncan has a point. If we designate a route with that pinch-point in the middle we ought to put the effort in to make it blatantly obvious to cyclists that they should be walking at that point.” Jackie Walker, a member of Bix and Assendon Parish Council, suggested installing “positive signs” rather than negative ones, such as pointing out the path was for walkers and pushchairs rather than saying ‘no cyclists’.

Town councillor Laurence Plant, a keen cyclist, said he thought cycle routes worked well, particularly for riders whjo lacked confidence or young families wanting some
exercise.

He said: “Henley is quite difficult to navigate not using the main arterial routes. This is a good attempt to make Henley safer and easier to navigate.”

Councillor Gawrysiak, who represents Henley on Oxfordshire County Council, said he would discuss with officers the suitability of the route, signage and cost of implementing it with officers.

He is also talking to Councillor David Bartholomew, who represents Shiplake on the county council, about a cycle route between the village and Henley.

Cllr Gawrysiak said it was important that a route was introduced if more houses were to be built in the area.