I UNDERSTAND that Cheshire Police are running a four-month campaign to encourage cyclists, motorists, horse riders - in effect everyone using our roads - to be more courteous and respectful towards one another.

The summer months do see an increase in road users of all kinds and I think it’s good that the police are reminding everyone not only to be courteous, but also of the rules of the road.

It is hard enough to pass one cyclist or horse rider safely on the county’s winding roads so when they are cycling/riding two or three abreast it is virtually impossible and that is when tempers get frayed.

Most cyclists seem to be unaware that the Highway Code states they should only cycle two abreast when appropriate - in other words when the road is wide enough and straight enough for vehicles to overtake safely.

I understand completely their sense that riding two or more abreast forces vehicles to give them more room when overtaking and I think motorists need to understand the law here too.

You have to be at least a vehicle length away when following cyclists and horses and when overtaking, you must allow as much room as you would when overtaking a car.

The police say they are going to be watching, advising and where necessary taking action on the roads on these issues during the summer months.

With regard to cyclists it would be great if they could also penalise those who do not use cycle lanes which have been provided at great expense for them.

I speak particularly of the ones on Altrincham Road leading to the airport tunnels where time and again cyclists use the roadway causing tailbacks and risking their own lives in the process.

Cyclists are also often guilty of swerving between lanes, undertaking and ignoring traffic lights... but then I’m sure the police will be watching for that too.

Cycling has become really popular in this country in recent years but in other countries it has been part of the fabric of life for much longer.

We have just returned from a city break in Germany where cycling is woven into every part of living, working and playing space.

Everywhere there are cycle paths and because they have been there for such a long time people look out for them and pedestrians and road users seem to live more happily alongside one another than they do here - hence the police campaign here I suppose.

We saw literally hundreds of cyclists every day and do you know not even one of them was wearing Lycra, seriously not one! What is it about the British that our cyclists feel the need to wear this figure-hugging material that shows off bits most of us would really rather not see?

I understand that when racing these outfits are di rigour but really, do you need to wear them to cycle to work? Despite my wittering, I do agree wholeheartedly with the police and their campaign.

We all need to remember that whatever the provocation there is another human being riding, driving or running on the road and we should respect each other.