STEVE?ELLIS, of Higher Coombe Drive, Teignmouth, writes:

As a cyclist I believe the argument in favour of a cycleway between Teignmouth and Newton Abbot is a clear and simple one and would hope this can be achieved sooner rather than later.

However, I am disappointed to read incorrect assertions regarding the safety record of HGVs on our roads in relation to this campaign.

In John Potts' letter he asserts that 'more than half of cycling fatalities  involve HGVs'.

This is simply incorrect. Department for Transport figures show that 118 road deaths of cyclists were reported in 2012, of which 23 involved HGVs (20 per cent). There were also 3,222 serious injuries reported, of which HGVs were involved in four per cent of incidents.

Whilst I accept that cyclists always come off worse in a collision with a vehicle we also need to recognise that commercial goods vehicles are driven by people who have undergone training and been tested before being issued with a licence for the vehicle they are driving.

In most cases they now also hold a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence having undergone further annual training to maintain and develop their skills. Unfortunately, many cyclists have not undergone any training, nor developed a suitable level of road skills.

Let's fight for the cycleway but avoid misleading figures and emotional words such as 'gargantuan' trucks and remember we need commercial goods vehicles to deliver almost everything we eat, drink and wear, not to mention the materials which build the homes we live in.

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