For over a century, motorists and cyclists have shared Harnham Road, as they have most other roads.

For many years I was one of them and it never struck me as dangerous. When the road was widened and upgraded from the B3094 to A3094 it actually made more room for cyclists.

If politicians perceive the road as dangerous for those on two wheels, then the question to be addressed is that of what or who is causing the danger, rather than launching into an unnecessary and expensive scheme which compromises the safety of pedestrians. It follows a national trend for no good reason.

At busy times pedestrians, many with wide buggies or disability scooters, will be competing for space with those on two wheels, with the consequent result that cyclists could be forced into the road – making the situation worse than if the two-wheeler was there in the first place.

As elsewhere on the national network, there is the problem of junctions, in this case that at Old Blandford Road. At present cyclists on the A3094 have priority over traffic joining from the south. With the proposed scheme, they won’t. That is not progress.

A PHILLIPS, Salisbury