POSTERS urging people not to cycle on the pavements are to be put up in shops in Prestonpans after a local resident raised concerns about the safety of pedestrians.

Resident Ian Cunningham told the town’s community council that the number of adults using their bikes on pavements on High Street, and housing estates, was creating a problem, saying that some even balanced their shopping in bags on the handlebars.

Mr Cunningham said: “Something needs to be done, it is getting dangerous.

“They are coming along with shopping bags making them unstable.

“It is a menace and downright dangerous.” Community councillor Ferhan Ashiq said he had been surprised to see a report nationally about a four-year-old being ordered off his bicycle by police as she rode it on a pavement with stabilisers, saying he always thought it was only illegal for children over the age of 12 to cycle on the pavement.

However, a community police officer confirmed it was illegal at any age, although he stressed there was discretion used when it came to younger children.

Mr Ashiq told the community council that he had spoken to customers who visit his shop and use bikes about the issue.

He said: “One of the things mentioned was ‘police have shut all the stations, they are not going to come to Prestonpans to charge me for cycling on pavements’.

“One lady said she was using the pavement because the roads are not safe because of people driving too fast.” Fellow community councillor DJ Johnston-Smith said that the problem could be solved with more cycle lanes, although he acknowledged that they would not go into the housing estates and needed financing.

He said: “The problem is the need for more cycle lanes and the council is cash-strapped.” The community council agreed to ask the community police officers to look into drawing up posters which could be displayed in shop windows asking cyclists to use the roads.

And they asked them to look into more speed checks on some of the roads which were highlighted as being plagued by speeding drivers.

Mr Ashiq also sought assurances that discretion would be used by officers when it came to cyclists who used the pavement.

He said: “I have one customer who is 17 and has learning difficulties.

“We can’t ask him to go on the road for his safety and the safety of other road users.

“There has to be some discretion in this case and with children under the age of 12.” The group was assured by the community police officer that it was “education before enforcement” and they would look into ways to encourage people to use the roads.