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Protect the public

Alan Wilson’s letter “No deterrents” (SA April 4) raises serious, and in my opinion justified, concerns about the blatant disregard many motorists and cyclists have for the Highway Code.

Mr Wilson makes a number of observations about bad driving and cycling practices. He says offenders know they can get away with it because there is no deterrent. Having made his observations about the behaviour of motorists he says, “Similarly, the same can be said about cyclists who ride on the pavement. It’s against the law and it’s dangerous. Pavements are for pedestrians.”.

You don’t need a crystal ball to see injuries will occur if people are allowed to persistently break rules and regulations which are supposed to be there to ensure public safety.

The following day an inevitable incident was reported on page 13, “Man hurt after collision” (SA April 5). It informed us, “A 60-year-old man has been injured after being hit by a cyclist on Cheney Manor Road. The victim was walking on the pavement near his home when he collided with a man cycling on the pavement. The pedestrian fell and sustained a serious hip injury”.

I hope this unfortunate pedestrian is comfortable and makes a speedy recovery.

I agree with everything Mr Wilson said. Bad driving and cycling practices are a menace to the safety of pedestrians. The borough has numerous so called “public servants”. There are parish councillors, borough councillors, two MPs and a police and crime commissioner. What do these people get up to? Why are they unable to see or unwilling to act on the problems which stare the rest of us in the face?

With the local elections taking place in May, campaigners and candidates will be making their rare public appearances to tell us what a brilliant job they are doing or can do for us. Elected representatives have an obligation to protect the public. 

K Kane, Wharf Road, Wroughton

Time to re-assess

I see that Alan Wilson (Advertiser 4th April) recognises the fact that many drivers do not recognise the law or the Highway Code in Swindon. I wonder if any of them has the observation skills that a competent driver should have to hand.

With the bus Lane from Mannington Roundabout towards Westcott Place no longer being operational, plus the fact that the ‘unbroken white line’ has now changed to a ‘broken white line’, plus the fact that there are signs to warn you, ‘Use Both Lanes’ and ‘Merge in Turn’, I still notice drivers using the offside lane and give you strange looks for using the nearside lane.

As an advanced driving practitioner, we should be inundated with drivers coming to Swindon IAM Group for re-assessments of their driving ability, but it doesn’t seem to happen. We even offer a free one hour assessment, which some have taken up to their advantage but more could do with it obviously. Looking at some of the road layouts in Swindon, maybe some Swindon Borough Council highways engineers could learn as well.

Chris Gleed, Proud Close, Purton