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Pedestrians’ views walked all over
• GREEN councillor Maya De Souza appears to have a blinkered view of cycling on Hampstead Heath (New Journal, 17 May 17).
She seems to assume that cycling equals green equals cycle paths on the Heath, and uses this assumption to justify her support for the Camden Cycling Campaign’s current efforts to increase the number of such paths. The reality on the Heath is very much different.
Councillor De Souza should get her priorities right and realise that the greenness of Hampstead Heath is actually damaged by cyclists, whose use of the Heath as part of the local transportation network is at the expense of the vast majority.
The greenness of the Heath is far better catered for and preserved for future generations by pedestrians who, whether they walk, run or play, endanger nobody; pedestrians who stop and look and listen and love the Heath for itself, and do not regard it as the means to extend the local transportation network.
Cllr De Souza expresses the fear that “the powerful voice of walkers would swamp the pleas by cyclists expanding the bike network”, but this is turning the argument on its head. It is the pedestrians who, when walking, are threatened and feel “swamped” when cyclists bear down on them, on and off the paths on the Heath.
Bicycles are machines, and many of them appear as threatening to walkers as many car drivers appear to cyclists – unpredictable and dangerous. And as to the “swamping” numbers of pedestrians who oppose any increase in the number of cycle paths, this is hardly surprising when an estimated 95 per cent of Heath users are pedestrians – it is called democracy.
Hampstead Heath does not exist to serve the needs of cyclists – it is too precious to be a commuter by-way, enabling increasing numbers of cyclists to criss-cross the Heath. And while cycling is certainly a greener method of transport than is motoring, the greenest method of all is walking.
The Heath is a small piece of hilly natural countryside, not a “park” as many of those who rarely or never use it insist on calling it, and this piece of countryside does not deserve to be carved up by more cycle paths.
DAVID LEVY
Courthope Road, NW3
• CLLR de Souza should be applauded for sticking her head above the parapet to defend the modest needs of cyclists on the Heath.
The musty attitudes of the Heath for Feet group really belong to the Edwardian era rather than the 21st century. With the menaces of obesity, pollution and global warming ever worsening, it is hard to see cyclists as the enemy within.
Cycling in many towns and cities on the Continent is a genuine pleasure, while here it remains a ghastly joust with motorists.
To deny cyclists one of the few respites from the hell of London’s congested roads is mean.
Now is the time for the voices of reason and compromise to be heard. With creative planning and goodwill on all sides it should be possible to accommodate both walkers and cyclists on this wonderful open space. Only then will the Heath truly be for everyone.
DERMOT ALEXANDER
Langbourne Avenue, N6
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