A councillor in Oxfordshire was accused of lacking respect after warning cyclists to avoid using a trail designated as a footpath and deemed “completely unsuitable” for people on bikes, following the recent death of a mountain biker killed in a collision with a low-hanging branch.
The tragic incident occurred in late January on the Jubilee trail, located adjacent to the Hardwick Road, just outside Whitchurch-on-Thames, a small village in south Oxfordshire.
The cyclist, who road.cc understands was equipped with Exposure lights on his helmet and handlebars, was riding with a group of four others along the trail at night when he hit a large branch stretching across almost the entire width of the path.
Despite the use of a defibrillator by his fellow riders, the cyclist, who has not yet been named, died from his injuries.
On Thursday, Jim Donahue, the chairman of Whitchurch-on-Thames parish council, posted on Facebook about the “tragic accident”.
Donahue’s post included a photograph of the branch in question, which has since been spraypainted and earmarked for removal, as well as a photo of a signpost indicating that the Jubilee trail is a “public footpath”.
Another photograph depicts a ‘cyclists please dismount’ sign, apparently placed on the path. An additional message, written with pen on the sign, seemingly in the past few weeks, reads: “Hi, a cyclist died!! In January 2026. He hit a tree, so I’m posting this and hope it helps to keep everyone safe”.
In his Facebook post, Donahue wrote: “From what I understand, some cyclists in their 50s were riding e-bikes at night and one of them hit a low hanging branch. The defibrillator on the village green was also used, which we believed was by the same cyclists.
“The village green team volunteers will be cutting back the branches in the area, but I need to highlight to anyone using the trail that this is an Oxfordshire County footpath and completely unsuitable for cyclists.”
Commenting on the post, one local praised Donahue for reminding cyclists that the route is unsuitable, describing it as “very dangerous” in daylight and “an absolute no go” at night.
However, one cyclist – a friend of the victim who regularly rode on the trail alongside him – criticised Donahue’s claim that the path is dangerous for people on bikes, and his suggestion that the cyclists in question were exclusively riding e-bikes.
“We have ridden that trail for years day and night, with the brightest of lights, which were being used,” the cyclist, who was not riding with the group due to an injury the night the tragic incident occurred, commented.
“Some on pedal assist e-bikes and some not (when riding in a group of mixed bikes the e-bikes are riding at the same speed, so why that is mentioned I don’t know).
“This was a freak accident that unfortunately the circumstances you don’t know what happened fully, and you won’t either.
“Our friend will be missed and we are still coming to terms with it, so please be carry on being respectful and don’t judge on what someone does or how. Many thanks.”
When approached by road.cc, the cyclist said the shocking incident was “still very raw” and that those who witnessed it are “still completely in shock”, but did not wish to comment further.
Following his comment, Donahue replied to the cyclist, writing: “Thanks for posting this. I am so sorry.”
4 thoughts on ““This is a footpath completely unsuitable for cyclists”: Councillor criticised for ‘disrespectful’ post about mountain biker killed after hitting low-hanging branch at night”
Firstly, condolences to the riders family and friends — that is a tragic incident. I regularly ride up and down that stretch of road, and have also ridden on the trail at the side. It’s always been a fun, short bit of single track type trail that breaks up a road stretch. The road is also very narrow there, with drivers going fast down the middle and not leaving cyclists room — so I can see why some people head onto the trail at the side. Rest in peace.
I’m afraid I can’t really see what is “disrespectful” in the councillor’s statement: it is a public footpath and so shouldn’t be used by cyclists, and the presence of low hanging branches like the one that caused this tragic incident would appear to show that it is unsuitable for cycling, particularly (as one local notes in a comment on the FB post, saying it’s sketchy even in daylight) at night. His post came across to me as a concerned elected representative of the area trying to make sure there’s no repetition of the tragedy.
The branches look like i’d hit my head on them even if walking. Whilst that may not cause a fatality, in this day and age of health and safety it does seem that this is unsafe for anyone passing.
Car drivers please get out and push. A motorist died in January 2026. He skidded off the road and hit a tree so I’m posting this and hope it helps keep everyone safe. Thanks.