Confusion over suitability of Lade Braes for cycling

THE St Andrews resident behind controversial “no cycling” signs in the town has defended his actions.

David Middleton put the signs up outside his home in Lade Braes after an elderly neighbour was lucky to escape injury after being hit by a cyclist.

“All my neighbours are elderly and are really anxious about stepping on to Lade Braes because students in particular use it as a rat run,” he said. “They belt along there to classes.”

There appears to be confusion over the suitability of Lade Braes for cycling.

When Mr Middleton contacted Fife Council in November, he was sent an email informing him the stretch outside his home was a footpath and not a shared-use path, and therefore the Highway Code rule prohibiting cycling applied.

But the council said today cycling is permitted on Lade Braes under the responsible access rights of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.

The local authority added that cyclists should be responsible and take care while cycling on the paths.

Some stretches along the winding route through the town are designated under the core paths plan and others are not.

The section outside Mr Middleton’s home is included in the core path network.

He added: “I think that the most constructive way to encourage safe cycling in St Andrews is for the council to increase the number of dedicated cycle paths throughout the town, rather than promote situations where cyclists come into conflict with pedestrians.”