THERE are some places where it's easy to imagine bicycles being a positive asset to police officers.

Crowded cities or town centres with lots of alleyways and paved areas that are too narrow for cars or motorbikes are one good example.

Housing estates with interlinking paths are also places where cycling would seem to have the advantage when it comes to getting around with ease and speed.

But the plus points of pedal power quickly evaporate in hilly terrain when the going gets tough.

That's why it's easy to understand critics of a scheme to equip community beat officers in Rossendale with £900-a-time packages that include bicycles and specially adapted uniforms with leggings, lighter body armour, fluorescent vests and safety helmets.

The Rossendale Valley is full of slopes, and while police might be more mobile on bikes than they would be on foot, it doesn't take a genius to realise that such a scheme won't be anything like as effective as it would be in, say, Holland.

As a councillor points out, an effort by the Royal Mail to put postmen on bicycles failed because of the terrain.

Bicycles may be quicker than walking, but if getting about fast is important why not simply put the officers on small motorcycles?