HEREFORD'S most famous cycling enthusiast Sir Edward Elgar would be pleased to see work starting on the new path for today’s cyclists.

The path will link the colleges at Folly Lane and Holme Lacy, passing through the city centre and the Rotherwas industrial estate.

Will Vaughan, who rides and operates Hereford Pedicabs, said: "I'm very happy - we'll be able to cycle cargo to industrial estates in Rotherwas quicker and cheaper than vehicles.

“It’s good for us and good for the companies who have to keep track on carbon emissions nowadays." Cycle Hereford, which campaigns for cyclists, hopes the new path will make the city centre less dangerous to cross.

Activist Martin Gilleland, a postman who rides one of the city’s 70 postbikes, said: "Early morning is the only time to enjoy cycling in Hereford before the centre is closed.

“It shouldn't be closed to bikes - in other cities such as Copenhagen cyclists and pedestrians co-exist. We'd better get used to it before the fuel runs out."

Herefordshire Council put £350,000 towards the costs of the path to match lottery funding.

Councillor Brian Wilcox, cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: "This is a much-needed route and hopefully students will use it as a safe, easy way to travel to the centre of Hereford."

A steering group working on a five year plan for cycle paths includes Hereford Wheelers, Cycle Hereford, Hereford Pedicabs, Hereford College of Technology, Hereford Primary Care Trust, Hereford Chamber of Commerce and some community associations.

They will be working on improved safety and paths linking schools to encourage more children to cycle. The government takes cycling seriously and has awarded £140 million in cross-departmental funding to help half a million children cycle to school safely and a generation of adults rediscover their bikes.

Ruth Kelly, secretary of state for Transport, said: "Cycling brings many benefits, both for the individual in terms of health and fitness and for the local community, as it helps ease congestion and improve local air quality."

£47 million was allocated to a ‘cycling cities’ scheme which was so popular that over half the departments of transport in the UK applied to join.

As well as solving Hereford’s traffic problems,cycling offers health benefits too.

Cyclists offer feel fitter, get to work faster and arrive at work with a clear head and no need for coffee. They often feel richer too as £2 a day spent on fares and petrol adds up to a saving of £500 a year.

One of the symbols of Hereford is the statue of Elgar with his Sunbeam bicycle in the grounds of Hereford Cathedral. Much of his music was inspired by cycling around Hereford and the surrounding countryside.

Rosa Burley, his cycling companion, once said: "As we rode he would often become silent and I knew some new melody or more probably some new piece of orchestral texture had occurred to him."

The irony of the 'no cycling' signs at all entry points to the Cathedral Close would not have been lost on the great composer and cycling enthusiast.

Report by Katherine Amor.