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The council's
decision is the latest twist in a seven-year controversy dating
back to the creation of the £5-million Cornish Way network
of trails for cyclists, walkers and horse riders.
Until now, cyclists have been officially banned from the 300-metre
long Newlyn Green footpath and are meant to use an adjoining 30mph
road linking Newlyn and Wherrytown.
To the dismay of the Living Streets group and elderly walkers who
feel threatened by cyclists on the green, councillors have acted
on what they perceive to be the majority view.
After 48 letters of objection were lodged against the Newlyn Green
ban on cyclists, compared to four letters of support, the council
began a major consultation exercise.
About 3,700 forms were sent out to people in Newlyn and Penzance
and almost 2,000 responses were received. Only a quarter of those
were in favour of allowing walkers and cyclists to share Newlyn
Green path, without any segregation between them. Almost 60 per-cent
favoured giving up a one-metre wide strip of the Green to widen
the path to give walkers and cyclists separate lanes. Only 13 per-cent
supported a continued ban on cyclists from the Newlyn Green path.
The validity of that consultation, and the alleged inaccuracy and
bias of its wording, have been questioned by Living Streets. After
complaining to the Local Government Ombudsman, Living Streets has
been successful in its quest to get cyclists banned from using the
Penzance Promenade pavement on the other side of Wherrytown.
The council's social, economic and environment committee, keen
to promote "a safe environment for both cyclists and pedestrians"
have now voted 6-2 to allow the shared use of the Newlyn Green path,
but not to carry out any segregation works in order not to incur
any extra costs.
Andrew Tait of Porthcurno, Living Streets spokesman and himself
a keen cyclist says the council's decision is totally unacceptable.
He said: "We feel they have been intimidated and bumped into
this by the cycling lobby and it will mean pedestrians, especially
pensioners, will not dare to walk along the Newlyn Green path because
they will feel threatened . I expect this committee resolution to
be challenged not just within the council but in the courts and
elsewhere."
The committee's chairman, Hudson Smith said: "The number of
incidents on this path has not been overwhelming. The consultation
showed that more than 80 per-cent wanted cyclists to be allowed
to make use of the Newlyn Green path."
article copyright © THE CORNISHMAN
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