Sir,
I would like to respond to Mr Paul Rich's letter in last week's Observer regarding cycling in Tenby during the summer months. As the owner of a cycle shop in the town, I would obviously welcome the business if everyone wanted to buy a bike from me once the town traffic ban kicks in, but in the real world this isn't going to happen.
The annoying part about his letter last week was the fact he had obviously not cycled in the town during this time. Believe me, it is virtually impossible. It's hard enough to walk down the streets without plotting a route as you are on the move.
At the beginning of the season, when the traffic ban first started, I tried to cycle into the town on a few occasions. In the end I gave up. It became dangerous for pedestrians and myself. Because of the traffic ban people expect NO TRAFFIC and are under the assumption that they are able to walk wherever they want.
They're not wrong, and most of all they don't care. They're on holiday in a traffic free town! You would be cycling away and someone steps in front of you and almost causes an accident. Although it's not the cyclist's fault, it is embarrassing.
As a cyclist, I also found I received a lot of abuse from pedestrians. Most people just moaned and groaned a bit, but a few got really nasty. On these occasions I bit my tongue and carried on, even when they were hurling abuse from down the street. Can you imagine what the situation would be if there was a group of six or more cyclists, especially if there were kids amongst them. Another problem is secure cycle bays. Considering the traffic ban has been on for a few years now, there is a distinct lack of them. If you did want to risk the ride, and shop in the town, where would you leave your bike? Most people, myself included, would not want to leave a cycle in town unattended for the opportunists to steal or vandalise.
I must add that these are not just my feelings. Many cyclists who visited Tenby in the summer had the same concerns, especially the safety issues of cycling in the town centre. They were also looking for 'cycle friendly' cafes or places to leave their bikes.
I'm obviously all for cycling, and have nothing against Mr. Rich, but it just annoys me when these suggestions are made and not really thought through. I love cycling through the town with my kids and think it is a great form of transport, environmentally and for your health, but sometimes it just isn't practical.
Jon Mills, Tenby Cycles.