COLIN Moyes is critical of the provision of cycle lanes on our roads.

This is a list of people who have a lot to be grateful to cyclists whether or not they are one themselves and should be getting behind councillors and their officers who are making cycling improvements.

Asthmatics - a barrier between people on the pavements and cars on the roads as cyclists take the hit for them of the worst of the exhaust fumes, especially as BCP still, astonishingly, allows diesel vehicles everywhere, is obviously doing them a service. Why on earth our council hasn’t made the whole of BCP a Clean Air Zone with the hospitals so overloaded is beyond comprehension.

Heart conditions sufferers - as asthmatics, but probably completely ignorant of the fact that exhaust fumes trigger heart problems, because the heart is having to work so much harder both with the lungs as in asthmatics to get the pollution inhaled out of their bodies, and of course because the carbon monoxide in the exhaust which gets into your blood stops oxygen being absorbed as it should be.

Children in pushchairs - who are right down by exhaust fumes breathing it straight into their tiny lungs. Again, the cyclists taking the worst of it gives them some much needed protection.

Mobility impaired - ie using wheelchairs and mobility scooters-being less mobile already increases the risk of heart and lung problems so yet more people who shouldn’t be breathing in exhaust fumes while on the pavement. Although technically, no one should be, mobile or not.

Anyone concerned about street crime - road improvements making cycling safer have been proved to reduce street crime, with studies on police data over nearly ten years showing this. The best deterrent for any premeditated crime is plenty of witnesses about on foot or on a bike. Professional criminals really don’t like working with an audience. Drivers and even their passengers simply don’t see people for long enough as they speed by.

Business owners - more parking spaces for staff and customers with fewer cars on the road, plus cycle friendly locations attract a lot more investment.

Anyone who cares about the planet.

Motorists like buses - bikes take up less road space per traveller, leaving a lot more room for remaining motorists.

Like Mr Moyes, I have lived through the times when the car was the star and pandering to its needs was the route to prosperity. Those days were over decades ago, and sadly Dorset is very behind in catching on to this.

Luckily we do have people of vision pushing through the slough of despond that has been holding back Dorset’s much needed road improvements for so long.

We have roads, and they need to be made fit for the purpose of getting people around by sharing them between cyclists and other road users, with the priority always being public transport and pedestrians.

SUSAN STOCKWELL

Britannia Road, Poole