Cyclists and pedestrians in County Durham are being urged to remain mindful of each other while enjoying shared spaces.
There are hundreds of miles of shared use paths in the region, popular with walkers, runners cyclists, wheelchair users and horse riders – especially during the summer months.
While Durham County Council wants to inspire increase levels of active travel – it is keen to ensure that safety remains at the forefront of people’s minds.
Ahead of the bank holiday weekend, the council’s road safety team has published a series of tips, encouraging cyclists to:
- Give way to pedestrians
- Keep left and allow people to pass
- Slow down when overtaking
- Not use shared spaces for achieving high speeds
- Take extra care when approaching children, horses and dogs
Meanwhile, pedestrians are also advised to stay safe by:
- Keeping to the left and staying alert, especially on inclines and round bends.
- Keeping dogs on a short lead and under control
- Leaving space for cyclists and runners to overtake
Dave Wafer, Durham Council’s strategic traffic manager, said: “County Durham is full of fantastic routes for cycling and walking.
“But, while we want more people to enjoy all the great benefits of cycling and walking, from getting in shape to saving money, we also want to ensure that they are safe, enjoyable modes of transport for everyone.
“Walkers, wheelchair users and cyclists are all encouraged to use our shared use routes, and horse riders are also welcome on our railway paths, so people need to take extra care when there are other users around and be aware of their needs.
“In particular, it is important that cyclists slow down and alert walkers when they are approaching, and to give them plenty of space when overtaking.”
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