May I give some balance to the impressions given in Joni Costard's letter‘Ban the Cyclists’ (Your Say, February 1) addressing the situation on the prom from the Greenhill to Overcombe.

I very much agree with the sentiment that during weekend and through the busy summer weeks cycling during the day on this stretch by anyone over five years old should be banned.

I would add that at 7 am and 6pm on most days of the year there are very few people walking on the prom and lots of traffic on the road in all sorts of weather and light conditions.

Regarding the 'perfectly good purpose-built cycleway on the other side of the road' my own experience is it is far from perfect.

This is a path shared with pedestrians. I am afraid that the discipline of pedestrians is not perfect.

They are often in gaggles all across the cycleway - sometimes with dogs on leads across the path or running loose with small children playing with them or with one another.

The visibility on this narrow path is not as good as on the wide and open prom with a lot more ways on to it and many hiding places for children.

I assure anyone that the instance of a small child suddenly running out and reaching out with small fingers towards a turning bicycle wheel is one that sticks in the memory.

There is also the business of crossing the road at each end disrupting the already busy commuter traffic flow and adding to the chance of accidents.

Maybe one-way cycling on the prom and the cyclepath as well as improving everyone's discipline and awareness would improve things all round.

PETER HARRIS, Littlemoor Road, Preston, Weymouth.