I like living in Southgate and have spent most of my life living in this area. I like the ups and downs and the views, for I can see from my bedroom views of London ranging in an arc from Alexandra Palace to the top of the Olympic Park. I enjoy living on a hill.

I am lucky to have these advantages, but it does make cycling now impossible in my late 70s. However, I do have a Freedom Pass. I use my car when I have a lot of shopping to collect, but I try and use the local buses, especially along Green Lanes.

I recently came from Enfield along Green Lanes to Palmers Green, where the new cycle way is proposed. It was rush hour but the traffic ran smoothly. The bus had an average of about 25 people. I saw four cyclists on my journey.

I agree with letter writer Mr Mandel that the proposed cycle route with its segregated bus lanes, changes at junctions and priority for cyclists will increase delays and hold-ups for the other traffic. Just delaying one bus will inconvenience more people than the total number of cyclists using the route.

Not all potential cyclists could use the proposed cycle route. You need facilities to wash and change when you arrive at your destination. Only some people have access to such facilities. So cycling to work is limited to the favoured few.

How many millions of pounds would the proposed Cycle Enfield scheme cost? Why is it proposed to spend so much money – public money paid for by our taxes – for the benefit of a very few vociferous cyclists? Just think what we could do in the borough with the money to provide things that benefit the whole community.

Let us just scrap the whole idea of Cycle Enfield and save us from the enormous costs and reduced community benefits.

Brian Bartram

Uleswater Road, Southgate