Sir – David Nimmo Smith, the county council’s cabinet member for transport, is quoted (last week’s Gazette) as saying “Eynsham residents can already use the cycle path on the A40 if they wish to cycle into Oxford”.
If there was a safe cycle path on the Swinford-Farmoor-Botley road, hundreds of people would be able to cycle from Witney, Cassington and Eynsham to the main transport hub of Oxford railway station, or their workplaces in Botley Road, in much less time than the long way round via Wolvercote roundabout, taking traffic off the roads and (a special bonus for commuters) knowing exactly how long it would take (both the A40 and the B4044 are often at a standstill in rush hours).
Do the sums, Mr Nimmo Smith (obviously not a cyclist): cycle at 10mph from Eynsham to Oxford station via A40, 52min; via Farmoor, 47min; to Seacourt Tower, 38min against 32min – and you’ll avoid getting killed on Hythe Bridge Street, where there is no cycle lane at all.
Dr Ed Morris, Church Green, Witney
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