Paul was a great advocate for cycling

I was very sad to read that Paul Hepworth had died. Paul was a fantastic advocate for cycling in York. I knew that if there was an incorrect letter or article, extolling cars and rubbishing other forms of transport, Paul would counter it with a well argued and researched response.

Paul was a great supporter of York Cycle Campaign over the years. I vividly remember him coming to a meeting on his bike and saying casually that he had just had a stent inserted into an artery, then participating in the meeting and cycling home.

Nothing seemed to get in the way of his support for cycling. I also remember a trip from London with Paul after attending an AGM of the London Cycling Campaign. I returned to York amazed by his encyclopaedic knowledge of the signalling and railway line geography of the UK. How the signals worked and where all the branch lines and sidings were.

Paul will be a huge loss to the cycling community and we should be proud of his contribution to an understanding of how active travel can be promoted and achieved. So important in these times where carbon emissions from transport are still rising and we face a climate emergency.

Thank you for all your work, Paul, you will be much missed.

Sara Robin,

Wentworth Road, York

Our pedalling guru will be greatly missed

The readers’ letters are perhaps the most popular feature in The Press - after family announcements they are the first stop for many. I would like to re echo the sentiments of DM Deamer (Letters, March 14) about much how the letters from Paul the pedalling guru will be sadly missed.

During 2019 Paul had a total of 27 letters printed, a commendable amount. Being a fellow contributor I know how we are often criticised for our efforts, but Paul just put his bike into bottom gear and climbed to the top of Windmill Rise.

Ken Thorpe,

Upper Poppleton, York

Farewell to a ‘defender of community life’

We have lost one of the best defenders of York community life with the death of Paul Hepworth, whom I will miss greatly.

The nickname ‘Pedalling Paul’ does no justice to a man whose deep factual knowledge and calm energy helped give context and counterbalance to the claims and opinions he disagreed with. His contribution to the role and status of cycling in York has been immeasurable.

Jim McGurn,

Chief Executive,

Get Cycling CIC,

Hospital Fields Road, York