• SO-CALLED wakeboarders have been speeding along the Regent’s Canal, (Wakeboarders filmed on the Regent’s Canal in King’s Cross, April 26).

As a narrowboat owner stated, there is a speed limit of four miles an hour on the canal. There’s a very helpful few lines about canal speed limits, taken from a boaters’ handbook, on the Canal Cuttings website: “The maximum speed on narrow canals is 4mph. But if you’re making waves or your wash is hitting the bank, you’re going too fast – slow down.

“Keep your speed down when you’re approaching bridges, locks, bends or other junctions, and when passing other boats or anglers. Respect other waterway users: always slow down before passing other boats.”

My flat overlooks a stretch of the canal and it is uncommon to see boats travelling above 4mph – that’s a brisk walking pace.

It is all too common, sadly, for cyclists to speed along the canal towpath at between 10mph and 15mph, most not signalling to pedestrians as they come from behind (many bicycles don’t have bells), most certainly not slowing down except where forced to do so.

A cyclist in close proximity to pedestrians can be dangerous, of course, as a pedestrian might be quite unaware of a silent cyclist approaching from astern and might move unexpectedly into their path.

The Canal & River Trust (C&RT) has a towpath code, on its website, using the slogan “Share the Space, Drop Your Pace”.

It emphasises that: “…Pedestrians have priority… cyclists need to be ready to slow down…” but far too many cyclists ignore this rule and speed along the towpath as if in training for a race.

Relying on the common sense of cyclists just isn’t working and it is time to have a speed limit on the towpath, perhaps 10mph at most.

Section 72 of the Highway Act 1835 prohibits cycling on the footpath or pavement and London’s cycle paths today are discrete routes, separated from paths for pedestrians; it is not sensible to continue to allow the canal towpath to be a sort of unregulated Wild West for cyclists.

London’s towpaths and canals are, like its parks, places to enjoy a slower pace of life. They are not places for speeding cyclists or wakeboarders.  As a C&RT poster declares, on the towpath “Be more tortoise and less hare”. London and C&RT must put the safety of pedestrians first.

LESTER MAY
Reachview Close, NW1