Sir, – On Saturday, I cycled to West Burton as a spectator of Le Tour in order to see the race as it sped down Bishopdale below Kidstones.

I descended Temple Bank and I was confronted by a road closed sign and barriers adjacent to the left turn signposted Kettlewell.

There were many spectators gathering here accompanied by a male and a female police constable. Cyclists were allowed through so I went through the gap. Manning the gap was a Richmondshire District Council workman in a fluorescent jacket.

The conversation went as follows: ME – “Hello there again – I bet you are on overtime?”

I bet this was much more interesting than sitting in a pick up for four weeks just below my house in Tunstall reading The Sun, adjacent to the Brough Lane diversion while the 30-yard four foot-wide beckside re-strengthening strip was constructed.

(He was there to move the barriers on a morning and evening for the school bus to get through – one morning I had to tap on his window in order to wake him up). Another instance of health and safety gone mad.

KEN WALSH Tunstall, Richmond.