Cyclists sink drive for canalside harmony

A campaign to make it easier for cyclists and walkers to share London’s towpaths has failed.

The “Two Tings” code was shelved by British Waterways after reports of cyclists using their bells “aggressively” and fears that pedestrians were at risk of falling into the canal.

Islington councillor Martin Klute said: “Cyclists were charging down the towpath at speed and ringing their bells to scare walkers out of the way. That was not meant to happen. Pedestrians are meant to have priority on the towpath and cyclists are meant to slow to walking speed to pass them.”

Ian Shacklock, chairman of Friends Of Regent’s Canal, said: “We suspect lots of people are ending up in the water.”

British Waterways is dropping the campaign after five years and replacing it with “Share the Space, Drop your Pace” with the focus changing to educating cyclists about sharing the towpath.