A call has been made for more to be done to stop cyclists riding on Norwich pavements where shared use is not allowed, with councillors urging riders to use dedicated routes.
More than £14m has been spent on improvements to cycle routes around Norwich through the Cycle City Ambition grant and Push The Pedalways scheme.
That has included dedicated cycle routes and pavements designated for shared use by both pedestrians and cyclists. Cyclists have also been allowed to ride on streets in the city centre where they were not previously allowed.
But David Raby, Green city councillor for Town Close ward, said a number of people had raised concerns about people cycling on pavements where no shared use was permitted.
At a recent council meeting, Mr Raby said: 'This is a particular nuisance for elderly residents and mothers with their children in pushchairs. It is clear that the council and the police need to do more to tackle this issue.'
Mr Raby suggested stencilling messages on pavements urging cyclists to dismount, but Mike Stonard, Labour cabinet member for sustainable and inclusive growth, said that was not the answer.
He said: 'I think we all agree that cycling on footways that were not designed to be shared use is a problem for us all.
'However, I do not agree that stencilling messages on the pavement is the right way to solve the issue. There is no evidence to suggest that it would be effective.
'And when we used this technique to promote pedestrians and cyclists to be mindful of each other, it prompted a spate of commercial organisations thinking it was acceptable to stencil the pavement with adverts.'
Mr Stonard said the council had made 'great strides' in offering cyclists dedicated facilities and urged riders to use those.
He added: 'We are shortly to implement a scheme along Earlham Road, a location that I know where cycling on the pavement causes problems, which will make it safer for cyclists to stay on the carriageway.'
He said it was an offence to cycle on footways, but acknowledged police budgetary constraints played a part in how often that was enforced.
Police issued 11 fixed penalty notices to cyclists across Norfolk in the 12 months leading up to November last year.
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