Son’s head of steam Safer to switch

After reading correspondence from an ‘‘experienced cyclist’’ regarding the futility of a trial Brooklyn cycle path, I felt duty bound, as another experienced cyclist (for experience, read London cycle courier, commuter in Melbourne, Katherine, Darwin, Dunedin, Wellington, Auckland, Thames and tourist in Europe, North America, Samoa, Australia and Aotearoa), to offer an alternative view.

Like my fellow cyclist, the lack of a separate cycle path never put me off riding anywhere.

However, the proposed Brooklyn cycleway isn’t about me, or my experienced cycling colleague.

I’ll leave all the stuff about congestion and health and climate emergencies aside. Others are far better qualified to discuss such things.

What I do know is that today, because there is now a protected cycle path along the Otago Peninsula from Dunedin to Portobello (not quite finished but already attracting dozens of riders just seven weeks out from the winter solstice), I was able to persuade my partner it was safe to take my son for a bike ride.

The result? Watching my 10-year-old travel 20km under his own steam. Sometimes complaining, sometimes singing, but always pedalling, and not a screen in sight. What can be better than that? Bryan Crump, (usually) Highbury

All the residents offering their opinions in the recent article about the trial Brooklyn cycleway already ride a bike (Controversial plan recycled in Brooklyn, May 3).

With clogged Wellington streets, a climate crisis, and an obesity epidemic all coming to head, it’s exciting the council are installing new cycling infrastructure, making it safer for yet more people to start using their narrow, zero-emission, fitness machines (bikes).

Let’s get behind a project that makes it safer for people considering a mode shift to move on to a bike.

Jamie Hoare, Newtown