One of the joys of Reading is getting about it by bike. Sure the cycle routes are crap. They are among the crappest anywhere. But if you use all the No cycling signs as a pointer to a good cycle route, and the "cyclist dismount signs" as an incitement to civil disobedience you can have a lot of fun. 

The roads aren't bad either. They are generally so clogged during the day that cyclists easily have the upper hand. 

But alongside the rivers there are some great

 paths. From the western side of town, right to the east you can ride all the way along the side of the River Thames. You can join the Kennet and Avon canal and cycle right alongside that until way beyond Reading.

Cycling with the river at your side is such a pleasure. On one side you have a changing land of industry housing greenery or shopping. On the other a ribbon of water with birds weeds and fish. As the river changes, sometimes flooded but never dry, you can keep a track of the seasons. You can watch all sorts of events, follow the life of the family of swans, spot the fist Sedge Warbler of spring, the first Sand Martin, see the angler catch a little fish, say hello to a boater cruising past. In Reading it is almost entirely traffic free. Within a hundred yards of most of it is a seething mass of cars and trucks. 

Despite their virtues many of the paths are neglected. While the council invests money in pedestrians bus lanes and car parks the riverside paths go uncared for and unloved. Except by cyclists, dog walkers fishermen and bird watchers. And a few graffiti artists (who I have never

 seen) and some odd fugitives from civilization in general.

In some ways I sort of like the paths being a bit run down, they are a bit like a secret part of Reading that most people don't know about. I have got to know a lot of people on these paths over the years, which is never going to happen on the roads.

But the big obvious paths, the ones alongside the Thames are popular and important. So it has come as a huge shock that Reading borough council have chosen to not designate part of it so that cyclists can use it, and this will soon lead to cyclists being banned from it. 

This shows again how unwilling the council are to do anything to help cyclists. I am sure they would rather have everyone driving.