PAUL Mercer criticises Drake's Trail in general and the Gem Bridge scheme in particular on the grounds that very few people come to Devon 'just for the cycling'.

I think he misses the point: for most visitors who cycle it's a part of their holiday, like walking on the moor or playing on the beach. The existence of traffic-free (and hill-free) cycling adds to the attractiveness of the area as a holiday destination, even if only a limited number of tourists come 'just' to cycle. After all, tourists don't visit London just to look at Tower Bridge, or Paris solely to marvel at the Eiffel Tower.

His attempt to create an Aunt Sally in support of his arguments against a cycling infrastructure in our area is quite timely, after all Goose Fair is only a month away and traditional entertainments are increasingly popular.

John Hudswell

Manor Estate

Horrabridge

£2.1-MILLION is a bargain! So, Mr Mercer (Letters September 9) thinks a 'handful of cyclists take priority over thousands of motorists'? Really?

Devon County Council's annual highway management budget for 2008/09 was £85-million, with £34m being spent on capital repair projects alone. So in that context, a one-off investment of £2.1m seems a bargain!

The bridge is also not a 'cycle bridge'. Although part of a Sustrans cycle route, it is, like all Sustrans routes, accessible to pedestrians. Sustrans relies heavily on volunteers to maintain and signpost its routes. So don't worry, the outbreak of signs didn't cost anything but honest sweat.

Of the thousands of tourists who do indeed visit Devon each year by road, many actually get out of their cars once here and explore the countryside on foot and, yes, bicycle as well. One only has to take a cursory glance at the number of vehicles with bicycle racks to see that many people cycle as part of their holiday.

As for Mr Richards' comments about Magpie Bridge, I can honestly say that the only inconvenience I have ever suffered when driving that way — yes, I also have a car, but choose not to use it all the time — is the fact I have to slow down and change gear. Not much of a hardship really.

So, as a cyclist and motorist who pays his tax I'm glad my money is being spent on this bridge. My only gripe is that investment in cycling is but a tiny percentage of that spent on subsidising the motorist.

Murray Turner

Bere Alston