Dear Editor,
As the cycling and walking champion for Cheshire East Council I am very grateful for the changes in the highway Code that protect pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.
Walking around myself I have enjoyed walking over junctions rather than running to get out of the way of a vehicle and I have experienced an overall positive impact to my safety whilst being active than before the changes.
The changes define how drivers should behave towards vulnerable road users and make it clear that there is a responsibility on vehicle users to protect those not in a vehicle.
Feeling safe using our roads is the biggest reason why residents choose not to walk or cycle for short journeys.
I sincerely hope residents will feel encouraged this spring and summer to get their bikes out to visit the town or village centre and to walk a bit more for their health.
Keeping ourselves fit is the biggest thing we can do to improve our health and leaving the car at home for short journeys is the best thing we can do to reduce our carbon footprint and congestion.
Encouraging our children to use their bikes instead of being driven around will give them independence to travel to a friend’s house and to school.
Whilst I appreciate, for some people the changes feel drastic and unnecessary, they will take time to embed.
Remember, drivers are pedestrians after they have parked their car and will be grateful when drivers give way at junctions.
If you live within 1 mile of where you work, try walking on Footstep Friday and Cycle Saturday if you are out and about, you will be amazed at how great being active makes you feel.
Yours sincerely,
CLLR SUZIE AKERS SMITH
Cycling and Walking Champion
Cheshire East Council
Well I as a cyclist can confirm that the driver’s behind me have certainly been more considerate and caring on 99% of my rides, only one felt the need to rev past me like a petulant 3yr old because his drive in a busy street was delayed by a nano second, good laugh as he arrived at a red light on the Barony and was overtaken again by me in pole position !!
A Very complacent approach from the Councillor strolling across junctions where’s the consideration to the motorist,? your an adult cross when it’s safe to do so and if the time is right you won’t have to rush.
One embedded principle of the Highway Code is that no one should overtake on the left hand side of a moving vehicle (with one exception where the traffic in the right hand lane is moving slower than the left hand lanes still applies).
This ludicrous change now allows cyclists to overtake on the left and when they get nocked of by an articulated truck turning left, the driver of the truck will be responsible. Crazy, the person, cyclist or car has no one to blame but themselves if they overtake on the left.
It’s about time cyclists were made to register their bikes and purchase insurance and road tax.
I hope that cyclists will follow the Highway Code and not jump red lights, just because there is a gap in the traffic. I hope that pedestrians will think twice before activating the pedestrian crossing buttons to stop the traffic, then crossing the road when there is a gap in the traffic flow, meaning that the poor law abiding driver has to wait at a red light without a pedestrian in sight.
What a stupid comment, a car almost running into the back of the car giving way to pedestrians is nothing to do with the rule change, merely drivers inability to be more vigilant so nothing new there. In a few weeks, it will settle down and some cyclists will adhere to the centre of lane rule and slow to allow passing vehicles, but then that is only understandable given the years of abuse and intimidation cyclists have been given all these years payback time is well overdue as cars do drive too quickly and worse they do expect themselves to be the only humans on the road at all times, life is, however, precious for all and well overdue changes are very welcome
Try using the cycle lanes more often and that may add to the safety of cyclists particularly on Park View and Middlewich Road!!
Utter, utter rubbish, i’ve already witnessed several incidents where a serious accident almost occurred, due to a car having to stop on a main road whilst about to turn into a junction to give way to a pedestrian, and the vehicle behind narrowly missed running into the back of them. I’ve also witnessed cyclists abusing the new rules and a tail back of traffic 1/2 a mile long due to the car being unable to overtake the cyclist in the middle of the road even though there was a cycle lane.