WITH reference to Mrs Barbara Riding's remarks (Letters, June 2) and to your report of the death the previous week of a frail pedestrian knocked down by a pedal-cyclist riding on the pavement, it is not only contrary to the Highway Code, but it is against the law to ride a bicycle on a footway or pavement.

It is about time that this and related laws against harassment, nuisance, recklessness and assault were enforced.

In practical terms, this is, perhaps, a matter of little consequence to the police constable who, on or off duty, enjoys the convenience of a car. Or, perhaps, it is not a matter merely of personal indifference, but one of policy.

I was recently informed, by a road safety adviser from the County Surveyor's Department, who was manning a library display on 'Safe Uses of the Roads,' that County Council courses held in schools actually advise that the cyclist ought to ride on the pavement - for the sake of safety. Presumably, such official advice enjoys police sanction. (It probably also enjoys parental sanction - where the parents are car-users, and seldom obliged to walk).

Yes, the roads are unsafe. And, yes, we need to encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport as alternatives to the private car.

But if the local authorities are, as they claim, serious about alternatives to the car culture, they might go a little further than advising, or condoning, the harassment of pedestrians for the convenience of cyclists.

The answer is not to push cyclists from the roads on to footways, but to provide decent cycleways.

Until they have the resources available to do this, local highways authorities would do well to enforce, as is their duty, the proper restoration of road surfaces by the privatised utilities, who spend so much time digging them up, but who are not too careful about filling in the holes afterwards.

S BYRNE, Elder Court, Huncoat, Accrington.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.