I WOULD like to pick up on some of the issues raised by your last week’s lead letter ‘Selfish visitors to Neyland’.

Cyclists, walkers and runners are all following government advice on how to exercise safely, and, if there is an increase in numbers at Neyland marina, it is probably due to more people being off work and being able to exercise during the day and unable to use leisure centres etc for their normal fitness activities.

Clearly, if cyclists are a danger to other path users, they should slow down, but otherwise there is nothing wrong with any extra users of this, or any other Pembrokeshire facility.

Driving to Neyland or anywhere else for exercise may be technically illegal, but of all the corona restrictions, this rule stands out from the rest as being quite illogical and I have yet to see any justification for it.

Most people live in built-up areas where going out for ‘legal’ exercise means walking past your neighbours’ front doors and attempting to social-distance all the other residents – not often possible without walking into the road.

I live out of town on a narrow country lane with no footpath where my dog would have to stay on-lead and we would both have to dodge the traffic. This is not a safe way to exercise and so I have been driving to a local beach where I and the dog can run free!

Clearly there is a greater risk of social contact when walking around town rather than walking along the Neyland bike path where there is always room to pass at more than 2m. And clearly, there is a greater threat to the NHS by getting run over while walking on a narrow lane than walking safely along a beach with no-one within 200m.

So, I say: “Go to Neyland, go to the beach, walk in the woods for your exercise – It’s much safer and better for the NHS than walking from home!”

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED