Fears over park ‘pack’ of cyclists: Hilda Griffiths was killed after a collision with a cyclist in a ‘peleton’ group close to the Hanover Terrace junction with the Outer Circle in 2022

• THERE are two problems here (Fears over park ‘pack’ of cyclists, May 9).

The first is pedestrians really do just step into the road in a dream, without looking, or while staring at their phones, sometimes doing so suddenly and without warning; which is terrifying for motorists and cyclists, no matter what speed they are travelling.

The second is the “peloton”. The purpose of the peloton – don’t let anyone tell you otherwise – is to go fast. So, yes, it is racing. The front riders shield the others from the wind, working very hard to do so and those behind can effectively “rest” until it is their turn to take the lead.

Individual riders rarely top 22mph as an average speed in the park’s Outer Circle but as part of a peloton this can rise to 26-30mph.

The other problem, arguably more significant, is that the riders are bunched up wheel-to-wheel and only the front riders have a clear view ahead.

If there is a sudden need to brake there will inevitably be a pile-up, simply no avoiding it, and certainly riders will be injured.

The judgment of the lead riders is therefore critical and so is their ability to communicate with those behind them. I would imagine their protocols are adequate two times in three, at best.

I am a cyclist. I do not feel I am some morally superior eco warrior. I stop at the lights. I have never hit anyone, nor even come close.

There is too much through-traffic in the Regent’s Park.

Pedestrians seem to be the only road users who aren’t asked to accept any responsibility for their actions.

If there is an accident it is now always assumed it was the motorist’s fault. Or the cyclist’s. This is quite contrary to the reality.

There are more than nine million Londoners crammed into a relatively small area and the real surprise is not how many deaths there are, but how few.

And are we taking e-scooters and e-bikes into account?

The huge number of illegal scooters with the speed limiting deactivated so that 35mph is now possible? And the same with e-bikes.

They are sold with a maximum speed to comply with the law but this is effortlessly circumvented.

After all, you’ve just spent a few thousand pounds on an expensive new toy, why wouldn’t you want to extend its capabilities?

Simple human nature, surely?

Until relatively recently a 30mph speed limit was perfectly normal and, whether or not you agree “20s plenty”, no cyclist in the park, however fit and powerful they are, really looks as though they are going that fast.

And the 20mph speed limit was predicated on the damage done to a pedestrian by a car, apparently quite significantly less than at 30mph. No bikes were involved in that equation.

For example, a Range Rover can weigh 2,500kg and is capable of going far faster than any cyclist. That is without adding, say, another 150 to 300kg for the occupants.

Yet the average cyclist, including their bike, weighs far less than 100kg.

Simple physics.

Take a breath and let’s give all this some thought.

TARQUIN KYLE, NW3