Is it okay to ride on the pavement?
Are you fed up of cyclists using pavements? Well… so are we!
Yes, you read that right. So why do they do it?
We were contacted recently by a young parent concerned about how to keep their child safe when cycling around Bridgwater. The law is quite clear: according to the Highway Code, it is illegal to cycle on the pavement, unless it is a shared use path.
However, in lots of places many people simply don’t feel safe riding in motor traffic – they are vulnerable when mixing with cars, buses and HGVs. And with several major trunk routes criss-crossing our town, Bridgwater is worse than many towns in this respect – think of riding on Bristol Road, Taunton Road, or even Cross Rifles roundabout. Now imagine the same scenes with a young family on bikes, and it’s not hard to see why pavements do get used by bikes.
In fact, the government has recognised this in its manual on cycle infrastructure design:
“4.4.1 Motor traffic is the main deterrent to cycling for many people, with 62% of UK adults feeling that the roads are too unsafe for them to cycle on. … On busier and faster highways, most people will not be prepared to cycle on the carriageway, so they will not cycle at all, or some may unlawfully use the footway.”
This is one of the main reasons behind our work on cycle infrastructure – with proper cycle routes, this won’t be a problem. Our vision for the town is one where people on bikes are able to get around in a manner that feels safe to them, and drivers and pedestrians will all benefit, too.
In the meantime, though, what should you do? Obviously, we can’t condone breaking the law. But it is understandable why some people use the pavements. If you do choose to do so, we would simply ask that you give priority to pedestrians, and ride with the greatest of care and respect.
What are your thoughts on this topic? We want to hear from you! Get in touch via our contact page, or message us on Facebook.