Council fails to act on cycle path obstruction

I’d like to offer some reasons why some cyclists do not like using the cycle path along the A308.

I for one do use it as I think it's normally less dangerous than cycling on this road.

The pavement, which was built many years ago and paid for by rate payers for the public (pedestrians and cyclists) to use, is full of obstructions which RBWM choose not to deal with, despite the fact that the 1980 Highways Act says that the full width of the pavement/cycle path must be clear of all obstructions (brambles, trees, vegetation etc) to a height of 2.3 metres and that the local authority has a duty to enforce it.

In the winter, one has to be careful of face and eye damage, and in summer there is the added risk of brambles scratching arms.

These obstructions have been reported many times, with location and photographs.

Their written response has included ‘we know about it and it is private property and we don’t like to issue enforcement notices but prefer to negotiate’.

The obstacles remain.

There are a few instances where overgrown vegetation is such that to get past it, a cyclist is that near the kerb that they are overhanging the kerb into busy carriageway.

Of course this isn’t the only pavement in Maidenhead to suffer ‘restricted use’.

There is a recent example along the

A308 pavement / cycle path, which is a danger to both pedestrians and cyclists but the response from RBWM was ‘our inspector has inspected it and deem it to be safe’.

I have visited other local authorities and used their cycle paths and where I have reported problems, (in a similar way), and they are normally dealt with fairly promptly. JOHN PAYNE Walker Road Maidenhead