I would like to write in support of Enfield’s Mini-Holland bid.

I have lived in Enfield for most of my life and although I am able to ride a bike I consider the roads in Enfield far too dangerous.

Where cycle lanes exist they often disappear and cyclists have to ride perilously close to other vehicles.

In April, I visited Valkenswaard in the Netherlands. Cyclists there had their own designated cycle lanes. Rules of the road ensured that larger vehicles always, without fail, gave way to cyclists, and drivers treated cyclists with courtesy and respect. At large junctions cyclists were given their own turn to cross.

Not only was I able to cycle with confidence, but my grandchildren aged five and seven also cycled everywhere safely.

The town was prosperous; the shops, bars and cafes in the town centre were thriving. The hotel in the centre of town where I stayed was used for choir practice and almost all the choristers cycled home.

I hope that when Mini-Holland is set up in Enfield we will all be able to enjoy the benefits that it will bring. Cycling is a healthy, sociable, cheap and efficient mode of transport that does not pollute.

Catherine Aldridge

First Avenue, Enfield