Milford Haven School bike ban frustrates parents (From Western Telegraph)

After reading the article concerning the "Ridiculous" cycling ban on page 5 of the April 1st edition, it has angered me that the parent and son in question have obviously not done the right amount of research into the subject before running to the local newspaper to complain. There is adequate transport provided for those living in Llanstadwell and Neyland, which is free for those over the age of 8 living outside a three mile radius (two mile radius for under the age of 8) of the school (http://secure1.pemb
rokeshire.gov.uk/con
tent.asp?nav=838%2C8
90%2C891&parent_dire
ctory_id=646) and those living within the radius, expected to walk, a very reasonable distance especially in comparison to the distance that our mothers and fathers before us walked to get anywhere.
Being the former Head Girl of Milford School, I have attended many Governors meetings where this subject has been constantly brought up by not only parents but teachers and Governors alike. Before these meetings, also being a keen cycler and a member of the fore mentioned free bus service from Neyland, I was all for tackling the ban of bicycles. However after bringing the topic up and listening to the reasoning behind the ban I was ready to accept that the rule had been made for the safety of Milford‘s own students, and in complete agreement with the Head Teacher’s choice.
In the article it is mentioned that the “majority” of the route to school for the boy is cycle track, however it is the part of the route that is not covered by path that may cause incident, and it is papers like this one that will report “Milford boy gets killed cycling to school” and the school will be considered responsible. There have been many accidents on these roads and too many teenage killings because of reckless driving. From the Guardian Newspaper “According to accident prevention charity RoSPA, about 16,000 cyclists were injured in 2006”, and it is this cycling ban that is stopping Milford students, and “keen mountain bikers” from becoming one of these 16,000. It is not the school’s ban that we should be annoyed at, but the incompetence of Pembrokeshire County Council for not supplying sufficient cycle paths to the school.
If you have been to Milford school, then you must realise that during the opening and closing hours of the school both exits on to Steyton Road and Thornton Road are extremely busy with hundreds of cars driving to and from the school. It is already a safety hazard when students decide to use these entrances instead of the supplied footpaths, but adding young cyclists to the equation, along with the danger of leaving bikes lying around, is just asking for trouble. It has not always been this way, with cycling banned. In fact when I first joined the school in 2001 there were bike sheds and children cycling to school every day, however these students abused this privilege, cycling through school and knocking down students on foot and causing mayhem, so it cannot even be argued that the theory has not been tried and tested. I believe until the council finds the time and money to turn its attention to the cycle paths throughout Milford Haven and the surrounding areas, it is not safe for children to cycle to school and “Ridiculous” for parents to argue publicly in newspapers.
I also suggest that if Mr. Clark has a problem with the congestion on the roads and its effect to the environment, then he may re-think his choice in transport, as I can hardly see the need for a 4x4 on the roads in this area, unless living on a farm.