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If ever there was a reason to throw the book at cyclists who ride on the pavements, the death of 77-year-old Celia Ward and the year-long incarceration of disabled Auriol Grey is it. Ms

Grey, 50, who is partially blind and has cerebral palsy which affects her mobility, was jailed for three years last year for unlawful manslaughter. She told the court Mrs Ward, 77, had been

travelling at speed towards her on the pavement and she panicked and shouted at her to get off it. Tragically, Mrs Ward drove into the path of an oncoming car and died. Mrs Ward’s family are

understandably devastated and I don’t wish to add to their grief, but Auriol Grey should never have been jailed or even charged. And this week, the Court of Appeal DID overturn her

conviction. The fact remains that cycling on the pavement is an offence in this country and for very good reason. They’re used by the elderly, the disabled, the partially sighted, women with

babies and small children – none of whom would be able to jump out of the way of a speeding cyclist.  Ditto footpaths in parks. Yet cyclists speed along both, terrifying kids, dogs and old

people, believing they are not obliged to worry about anyone but themselves. And there’s an arrogance about cyclists who believe they can terrify people in places they have every right to

feel safe because somehow they’re saving the planet. They’re not, obviously. Yet still they treat drivers and pedestrians with utter contempt – like we’re all in THEIR way and should get out

of it. People are entitled to feel safe on pavements and not to have to worry about people coming at them at speed on bikes (especially electric ones) that could kill or maim them (the

number of people maimed by cyclists goes up every year). It’s why councils everywhere have spent multi-millions of taxpayers’ cash on cycle lanes – often creating congestion hell for

drivers, which is another story – yet many cyclists seem to have an aversion to using them. They prefer instead (and I’m not talking about Celia Ward here) to terrorise people on pavements.

Well to hell with that. Pavements and walkways are used by some of society’s most vulnerable people and cyclists who don’t get that are heartless, as well as dangerous. As for those who use

the pavements because they don’t have the cojones to be on the road – dump the bike because you’re a danger to yourselves and everyone else. It’s about time police started treating pavement

cyclists as the law-breakers they are, yet few are ever fined. In 2011, there were 11,577 fines. By 2018, that had plummeted by 96 per cent to a piddling 443. Today I’m guessing there’s

hardly any. Like many others, the police have basically decriminalised an offence they find “pesky”. Which is ludicrous, because many cyclists are travelling at the speed of most cars in

towns and cities – often faster – and when they do that on a pavement tragedy is bound to follow.  When Auriol Grey saw the cyclist coming at her, she was understandably scared because of

her partial blindness and physical impairment so she panicked and shouted at Ms Ward, who also panicked.  This was a tragedy that should never have happened. Yet, still, it should serve as a

warning to police forces who really need to get tough on cyclists and enforce the laws we have – even pass new ones – to avoid the kind of grief that has devastated the families of Celia

Ward and Auriol Grey.