The apalling article on the death of an elderly man on a York cyclepath (Evening Press, January 31) rams home the need for a radical new initiative in community policing.

York quite rightly markets itself as a cycle-friendly city, but those of us who use these shared paths on a regular basis, whether on foot or cycle, know the reality of the graffiti, endless shards of broken glass and kids on motor bikes that endlessly infest these wonderful resources.

Now is the time for North Yorkshire police to put bobbies on bikes. Not the serge-uniformed officers riding re-cycled 'battleships' of days gone by but fit, superbly-trained, properly-equipped officers riding fast, lightweight modern mountain bikes.

These officers could cover tremendous amounts of territory (including cycle paths) acting as a high- visibility deterrent. Modern micro-technology could even equip these bikes with small video cameras when required. This has to be cost-effective, surely. No fuel costs, no massive captial outlay and hopefully a reduction in crime before it even happens.

I have seen pictures of officers in New York suburbs on mountain bikes wearing modern, stylish safety helmets getting right into their communities and apparently it works, according to the reports I've read.

So come on the other NYPD (North Yorkshire Police Department), form your new squad and let's have some serious eco-plods on the streets and cycle routes.

Graham Horne

Beech Avenue

Bishopthorpe,

York.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.