I can assure Bernie Pearce (Letters June 23rd) that Southampton Cycling Campaign advocates cycle lanes rather than shared pedestrian-cycle paths.

We are all pedestrians as well as cyclists and fully understand the difficulties there can be when both share the same, often inadequate, space.

Southampton Cycling Campaign objected to the Highways England scheme for Bursledon Road which included cycle facilities on the pavement, submitting instead proposals for a sustainable transport lane on the road.

I was subsequently informed by Balfour Beattie that the funders of the scheme would not permit cycle facilities on the road.

The Cycle Campaign is extremely concerned about the poor provision for pedestrians in some parts of the city and we discuss these matters at meetings and raise them with the council.

It was members of Southampton Cycling Campaign who organised a demonstration for pedestrian improvements at the Bullar Road/Athlestan crossroads and we continue to campaign for them as nothing has yet been done to reduce the seven minutes pedestrians have to wait while breathing toxic fumes to cross Bitterne Road West.

We also campaign for a 20 mph on all residential roads and when this is implemented it will make public space safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

However, some of the paths alongside pop-up cycle lanes are shared-use (Bassett Avenue, for example) and these are important for younger and vulnerable cyclists; while most experienced cyclists will be confident enough to use the new lanes, indeed they welcome them, some cyclists will not.

These are usually slower cyclists who pose no threat to pedestrians.

It is illegal to cycle on pavements which are not shared-use and cyclists should not do so except for few locations where there are no cycle lanes and to cycle on the road would be to risk life and limb.

Equally it is illegal for motor vehicles to stop in advanced stop lines or obstruct cycle lanes but this happens many times every day in Southampton and no-one is prosecuted for the offence.

I fully agree with Mr Pearce that pedestrians are not given adequate consideration by transport planners and I and other cyclists will continue to campaign for this to change.

Lindsi Bluemel

Southampton