THE Green Party seems to be getting some stick about the Caton cycle path and a few points do need clearing up before we can get down to what really matters which is how to make the roads a lot safer than they are now and safe for cyclists.

The specific issue of lighting has shown how difficult it is to change things when the plan to do something is well under way.

The Green Party has always advocated detailed local consultation and participation on all planning matters and one lesson from this episode is to do this better and earlier.

No plan should get to the stage when it can't be changed if local people are unhappy about it.

There are other lessons. Rural roads are very dangerous places and over 100 cyclists are killed on them every year. This is one of the worst records in Europe and is unacceptable.

Many drivers drive very fast on these roads and therefore make them extremely unsuitable for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders. Our view is that all these groups have a right to expect safe, secure and pleasant conditions on the roads and should not be expected to put up with the anti-social behaviour of irresponsibly driven cars.

Since the Government have rejected both traffic reduction targets and lower speed limits for rural roads we are left with no alternative but to provide cyclists with good quality paths and this means they must have lighting fit for the job. This lighting should not and need not illuminate the sky, the woods, the river or adjacent houses.

There are good designs around that do not involve full height columns, that use very small amounts of electricity and that are very unobtrusive. We want these and this is what is needed.

Above all we want safe roads and less traffic and we think that most people (but not the Labour Government) agree with this.

John Whitelegg

Lancaster Green Party

Derwent Road

Lancaster