Let town councils decide on footpath users

In the coming months, we will probably hear heated arguments about how we can best share the use of footpaths (“Footpaths not for bicycles, scooters”; March 31).

The Active Mobility Advisory Panel is recommending that footpaths be shared with bicycles and even motorised personal mobility devices.

As a retired housewife, I have taken to walking to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and safe footpaths are an important part of my community life.

I am concerned a one-size-fits-all policy may not reflect the community’s sentiments. Neighbourhoods with more seniors and families with young children may feel differently about providing more options for footpath use, unlike in younger communities.

I thank the Transport Ministry for taking the lead on this matter, but a national policy on footpath use is not the solution. This should be left to the town councils, which would be more responsive to the communities they serve.

A decentralised approach would allow town councils to manage community needs more effectively. The ministry should set broad guidelines, but the respective communities, through their town councils, should decide whether a footpath is shared or not.

Furthermore, this would allow town councils to optimise the use of footpaths to fit their communities.