THE Older Peoples Assembly in York has been trying to highlight the problems that Pamela Smith complained of regarding cyclists on footpaths and pavements (Cycling on pavements is downright dangerous, Soapbox, August 8).

In 2004, the assembly did a survey in the Guildhall when people were getting their bus tokens and passes. We asked: Do you have a fear of crime? Seventy-one per cent said yes. We then asked: Are you concerned with cyclists on the footpaths, and 87 per cent said yes.

That our senior citizens have a greater fear of being run down on the footpath than of being mugged or robbed came as a shock even to the police, but not to the council, which said the question was a leading one.

In 2005, we enlisted the University of York's help to set out the questions in a way that could not be misinterpreted or classed as "leading". This time, the council totally ignored the responses.

A total of 1,786 questionnaires were completed and the response was 90 per cent in fear of being run into by cyclists; 68 per cent said there should be no cycling on the pavements at all, and 22 per cent said it was only fitting for young children to cycle on pavements.

Among the respondents, 25 per cent said cyclists had run into them on the pavement, 337 noted how many times it had happened, 199 had been run into once, but five had been run into seven or more times.

The police say when they stop cyclists to check if the cycle is stolen they will warn the rider not to ride on the pavements.

The assembly says this is not good enough and shows what our elected councillors think of us.

Not only are elderly, disabled, blind and partially-sighted, frightened of the cyclists, so are a lot of mothers trying to get their children to school safely.

Might I remind Pamela Smith and other like-minded people of York that 2007 is election year.

Don Parlabean, Executive Committee, Chairman, York Older People's Assembly.