Recognise cliff path concerns
AN OFFER to ride mountain bikes on the island’s south coast cliffs over the course of the depths of winter – and only at night – sounds less than appealing.
The fact it has been seized upon so readily by the Guernsey Mountain Biking Association and its 400 members is perhaps an indication of how desperately keen these cyclists have become to secure an opportunity for some two-wheeled action on the cliff paths.
A 10-year campaign has finally borne fruit, and on this basis it looks like anything granted by Environment & Infrastructure is better than nothing.
However it’s not a surprise to discover that La Societe Guernesiaise is not overly impressed, not least at what it saw as a lack of consultation.
The concern is understandable.
It only takes a few tyre tracks to potentially destroy a habitat which will then never recover, and though pedestrians are used to sharing northern coastal paths with cyclists, with generally good manners on all sides, any extension of the cliff path cycling opportunities into the daytime would be likely to be much more of a challenge with walkers.
Generally one would wish to see some give and take on all sides – but here cyclists have a big responsibility to show that they can be trusted with the chance they have been given.