Yahoo News Cyclists ‘warned to give way to pedestrians on canal towpaths after arguments’
Cyclists have been warned they do not have the right of way along Britain’s canal towpaths after a number of cases of arguments with pedestrians.
Bike users have been told to slow down and give way to walkers along the Basingstoke Canal in Surrey after a spate of altercations.
Tempers have flared between cyclists and pedestrians in recent months along the canal in Woking, sometimes leading to physical arguments, Surrey Live reported.
It said a new cycling policy has been drafted by local councillors to make sure cyclists and pedestrians can share the towpath along the canal in harmony.
Extra signs telling cyclists to give way to pedestrians will be posted along the route surrounding Woking.
The Canal & River Trust charity already advises cyclists to give way to pedestrians.
A spokesman for the trust told Yahoo News: “Our waterways have never been more popular as we encourage people to visit and experience the wellbeing benefits of being by water.
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“We ask everyone on our towpaths to ‘Share the Space, Drop your Pace’. Essentially, walkers and boaters accessing the water have priority, but if we’re all considerate and share the space, then everyone can visit and enjoy these special places.”
But James Cleeton, director of England south at transport charity Sustrans, which is behind the National Cycle Network, told Yahoo News: “It’s important for local authorities to encourage active travel to help tackle poor air quality and high obesity in the UK.
“Policies such as this may play a role in deterring more people from riding a bike as they highlight people who cycle as problematic.
“As shared use walking and cycling paths become more popular they often develop their own rush hour which can result in disagreements between different path users.
“To help avoid this it is important to promote a positive culture of respect so that everyone can use and enjoy the space provided by what are often fantastic routes.
“We are encouraging people to share the space, be respectful of each other whilst also enjoying the place that they are moving through.”
In Surrey, the Basingstoke Canal Joint Management Committee says not enough cyclists are dismounting when they reach narrow sections of the canal.
Councillor Kevin Davis told Surrey Live: “Since the route became officially known as cycle paths on maps, cyclists think they are the number one. We need signs that simply say: ‘Cyclists you do not have priority’.”
In his report, James Taylor, strategic manager for Basingstoke Canal, wrote: “The towpath is now at times crowded with many different types of user, and there is inevitably some clashes, physically and verbally.
“This issue is not unusual to the Basingstoke Canal, and similar issues are seen on many canals throughout Great Britain.”
A spokeswoman for the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) told Yahoo News it was “surprised to hear that cyclists believed they had right of way on the Basingstoke Canal”, and that it supported the development of a new cycling policy along that stretch of water.
She said the charity’s Towpath Policy states that “cyclists must cede priority to other users and have a duty of care to those users while cycling on the towpath”.
She added: “We understand that the speed of some cyclists has become an issue on certain stretches of the towpath. IWA lends its support to sedate, recreational cycling on suitable towpaths.
“Our policy states that cyclists must take particular care when passing walkers and anglers and should be prepared to dismount.”
The Basingstoke Canal runs for 32 miles between West Byfleet, Surrey, and Greywell, Hampshire.
