Councillors talk to Cyclists, Money to be spent - Rejoice

Via twitter I got in touch with councillor Jim Clark about the total lack of consultation by North Yorkshire County Council over the money to be spent on cycling infrastructure over the next two years in Harrogate (LSTF). He put me in touch with Rebecca Burnett who works for Andrew Jones MP, she  has been a BIG HELP moving things forward. We had been trying to get a response from Council Officers in transport for over six months and we got platitudes and commitments that were never kept.

Rebbeca has now put me and local cycle activists in touch with Councillor Richard Cooper who is chair of the LSTF steering committee and he has let us have a look at the proposals for the spending. The proposals look good we have one or two comments and we will be feeding this back in a day or two. I will not bore you with specifics right now, but I will bore you at some length over the next couple of years in future posts I'm sure.

The committee meets for the first time on Thursday and it is nice to feel that we have been included in the process and hopefully can contribute to infrastructure developement for all bike riders in Harrogate. More importantly I hope we can build on the relationships we have built with local government so that cycle infrastructure in Harrogate meets the needs of Harrogate cyclists going forward.

Skipton Road slow, slow. Slow slow slow

There was a news story recently that named Skipton Road in Harrogate was one of the most congested roads in the UK outside London. If you use the road you will know that it is pretty busy in rush hour to say the least. Chris Lee from RAM tracking who carried out the study got in touch recently. Here in a guest post he explains how they did the study and he also includes some resources you might find useful.

I recently worked with RAM Tracking to help put together a study that Cycle Harrogate tweeted about recently. The study looked at the most congested non-motorway roads in the UK during rush hour in February this year, and the findings are shown on the interactive map at the bottom:

Since being carried out, this study has attracted media attention from several news outlets, from local publications like the Yorkshire Post and Harrogate News, to nationwide publications like LBC, ITV, and the Daily Mail. I thought I’d write a little bit about how it was carried out, to contextualise the findings.
The large data set of all GPS records from vehicles using RAM’s trackers was compiled for February this year. That was around half a million data points.
A filter was applied so that only records collected between 8 and 9am were shown. This was the rush hour data.
Another filter was applied that added records collected between 11 and 12 noon to be shown as well. This was the comparison data.
The data was then sorted by road, and the roads were calculated which suffered the greatest reduction in speed during rush hour.
The 10 roads found in the final step were added to the map above, along with information about their average speeds. This obviously generated interest – some people attempted to discredit the findings, others found the locations of the roads very interesting (especially in places like Harrogate!). Personally, the study reaffirmed my decision to be a cycling commuter! It’s a nice feeling being able to dodge the traffic jams, although it does annoy me when I see other cyclists jump red lights as if the rules don’t apply to them.
I thought I’d finish with a few resources that can be helpful for planning a cycling commute:
MapMyRide: A website which allows you to record and track the rides you’ve done. You can either enter them manually, or use the MapMyRide app to record them for you via GPS. It’s nice to be able to look over the amount of distance you’ve covered!
 
The Cycle to Work Scheme: this is a scheme offered by many employers, which allows you to purchase a tax free bike and pay it back from your wages over an agreed period of time. It’s great for people who want to cycle but are put off by the initial investment
And possibly my favourite: this one has saved my skin numerous times!

Here is Ram Tracking's map

and here is the original on the RAM Tracking website

If we build it they will come - Traffic free to Spofforth

The Tour is still coming, the roads are going to be fixed so Cav and Wiggo can ride across them. Thing is, after that cars are going to use them mainly, which will be nice when I'm in a car but won't make me cycle anymore often.

LEGACY I keep hearing lots about LEGACY but its all talk. Here is a concrete idea for some legacy that we could all get behind.

The Nidderdale Greenway is already being loved by the people of Harrogate, be they cyclists, horse riders or walkers. I blogged about it a month ago and put a rough map online. 4500 people viewed my post, that is  viral for Cycle Harrogate. We need more of this kind of provision people want it and are using it it, this is a very good thing.

Here's is an idea that could make our town a better place and a more prosperous one too. I was sat with Harrogate Cycle Action on Monday evening being my usual stroppy self. Ginny Leonard from the CTC had come along to tell us how to try and get people interested in cycling when we realised they already are. They are mad for the Greenway in Harrogate, but not enough people from out of town know about it, yet.

Harrogate has no traffic free connection to Sustran's National Cycle Network. The nearest place you  can get on it is Spofforth. From there you can get yourself to Wetherby and on to York with barely the sniff of a car. To get to Spoforth at the moment though is back roads and a scary crossing of the main road.  Harrogate to its East is an island surrounded by a sea of cars. So kids and families don't ride to Spofforth and on to Wetherby and nobody really comes that way into town by bike.

What if the Tour's legacy was to link the excellent and much loved Nidderdale Greenway to the national cycle network at Spofforth? Then a family would have a choice of places to ride from Harrogate, west to the Dales, East to York. Bettter still folk could ride their bikes into Harrogate, stay a bit wander round the town, spend some money, maybe stop for the night (cyclists are hungry and thirsty and need places to sleep.) and then on to Ripley, eat ice cream  and on into the Dales. This is eco tourism gold and we have a winning ticket in the shape of the tour with which to make it happen.

Lets take the vision a step further. What if we got it open for next July? Folk could cycle in for the tour. How cool and bike friendly would Harrogate look? We would have shown that not only can we stage a major international cycling event but that we can get everyone in and out too.

What if whilst we were at it, we linked in the showground and put some cycle hire places in Wetherby and in town? We could help sort out the congestion problem for Yorkshire Show week. We could park some of them in Wetherby at the race course. Offer them a few quid off the ticket price and let them ride down the Tour De France cycle route into Harrogate.

We need some people to get behind this idea. We need councillors and the press to champion this. We could show Harrogate in the best possible light and build a Legacy that we can all be proud of and can all benefit from, but if we don't all want it. If we don't all make it happen. We just get Cav and Wiggo for a couple of hours and memories of when the circus came to town.

Family cycling in Grizedale forest

We camped over in Hawkshead in the Lakes at the weekend and we took the bikes. On Saturday we went to the cycle hire place at Grizedale forest and hired a tag-a-long to get our youngest mobile.

We picked a nice easy route of maybe 9 miles and set off. We rode the purple dots on the map on the left. The cycling was on forest tracks and the first climb up for maybe half an hour or so was steep in places. Steeper if you were towing a four year old who worked out pretty quickly that his dad couldn't see if he was peddling or not.

We were with another family and it was their first time on mountain bikes off road I suspect. There was some swearing, some muttering at "gears" and some glum, pale, grim faces. By the time we stopped for sweets there was that "leave me with the gun you go on" look from Mr Other Family.

The sweets worked and by lunch we were well up the side of the valley at Moor Top. Its was cold in the thin cloud but with some cheese butties inside we were all a bit more perky, so we zoomed round the fun blue loop in half an hour or so. It was all little hills and little descents if you kept the bike moving it was more roller-coaster than road.

The afternoon was spend whizzing down the other side of the valley getting rid of all the height we had put on in the morning. You got views down to the valley floor in between gaps in the trees and a deer lept across our path to add a touch of the exotic to the day.

The two older boys had a ball, there were many grins and behind me all I could hear from my youngest was "Faster, faster." I was trying to provide the best high quality adrenaline experience, without dropping the bike and turning him off cycling for life. It worked and my wrists will stop aching soon.

Mrs Cycle Harrogate was all grins too and having just got rid of her last mountain bike for her current city bike, she is now shopping for a replacement once more. Mrs Other Family was secretly having the time of her life but was finding the saddle on her bike a little unfriendly. We zoomed on finally descending steeply to Bogle Crag were we picked the road up and followed it back to the start.

We were back at the visitors centre in about 3 hours from setting off, after as good a days cycling as I have had since I got to blast some trails in California,  long before children were even a vague idea.

So if you are looking for some family friendly cycling and you find your self that side of the Pennines you could do much worse. We are going to have a look at Dalby Forest next and I'm hoping for as good a day.

Show me the money

I put a freedom of information request into North Yorkshire County Council about the 143 grand of Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) money that should have been spent in the year to this April.

Here is what they came back with...

This is what should have been spent and on what

Project	Programme 12/13 (£k)
Area 3 – Harrogate Town Centre	60
Radial 2 – A661 Wetherby Road Corridor	33
Cross Cutting Measures	50
Total	143

Here is what I got back as a statement of what was spent

Project	Project Element	Total Expenditure (£k)
Area 3 – Harrogate Town Centre	Cycling Infrastructure	19.988
	Cycle Storage	1.995
	Pedestrian Links	5.005
	Visitor Information	11.364
Radial 2 – A661 Wetherby Road Corridor	Cycle links to the Great Yorkshire Showground	13.004
	Travel Information for exhibition venues	19.184
Cross Cutting Measures	Bus pre-emption at traffic signals	48.950
	Cycle map	0.100
Deferral agreed with Department for Transport		22.474
Total		142.064

So your County Council transport department has money to spend on your behalf and hasn't bothered to do this. Out of 140k they were supposed to spend they failed to spend 22k. Should you be worried? Well thats 15% of what is available. If you want better cycling infrastructure and you are being told there is no money you should be. I have raised this issue with a few councillors but so far nobody seems interested. 

How should you vote tomorrow? Well that is entirely up to you but the current administration would claim to support sustainable transport but in practice they don't always. Lets see how they do in this financial year when there is much more money to spend.

An end of term report for Local Government for their bikeyness. Well why not?

What follows whist rather tongue in cheek is also pretty accurate...

Andrew Jones Incumbent Tory Mp.

Andrew Jones has generally been helpful. He has always responded to letters from cycle activists and has tried to use what leverage he has to get North Yorkshire Council engaging with Harrogate Cycle Action once more. He has limited effect on local transport planning but he seems to be generally supportive of cycling initiatives and has championed the Tour De France.

Score 8/10 Seems to be working well for his constituents.

County Councillors

Conservatives

Variable results here, a few Conservative  councillors have engaged with Cycle Harrogate and also some Tory County Councillors have been helpful over the Nidderdale Greenway. It would be fair to say though that when I and others have lobbied for a Cycle Officer at area meeting we were was met by fairly overwhelming indifference from mostly middle aged white men who didn't look like they had ridden a bike to the meeting. Mind you if that is what Harrogate elects that's hardly their fault. I have also had a few positive conversations with a few councillors who do seem at least interested in advancing a bike riding agenda in Harrogate

Score 5/10 Some promise but could do better.

Liberal Democrats

The Liberal democrats who also have serving Local Councillors seem to be indifferent to cycling and attempts to lobby them or work with them are either fobbed off or ignored.

Score 1/10 You are letting yourself and your party down.

Labour

A tad unfair really as they have little actual power but I have had a few online dealing with them. Unfortunately whilst they seem keen, nothing ever materialised. I asked for feedback on some questions nothing happened. I was due to speak at a Labour club meeting which they initiated, nothing happened

Score 1/10 Needs to work toward their target or will continue to under perform

North Yorkshire County Council

Some positives. I am told they were supportive over the Nidderdale Greenway and there does seem to be evidence of some local junctions being re-lined in a way that will help cyclists and they recently undertook work on the Beryl Burton Cycle way. They have supported the Tour De France bid.

More negatively since NYCC took control of Harrogate's road cycling infrastructure investment has fragmented and apparently stalled. They have removed the forum for consulting with cyclists. They  have had a complaint about their internal processes upheld. They have refused to appoint a cycling officer. They seem to lack a plan when it comes to spending the LSTF funding. They also have no plan to develop cycle infrastructure and their idea of promoting cycling currently involves handing out puncture repair kits.

Score 4/10 Must do better you have much influence locally and others would follow your lead

Harrogate Borough Council

Harrogate Borough Council are now doing some of the things that are helping make Harrogate a bike town. They have officers in place to both encourage people to ride bikes and get tham trained if they don't know how. They are working with local employers to try and get more people commuting. They have people on the ground making sure the tour De France is delivered and leaves a legacy. Much of the bike infrastructure of Harrogate is down to Harrogate Borough Councils work in the past and they did employ cycling officers.

Score 8/10 good work you are a pleasure to have working for us.

The vision thing - a cycle manifesto for Harrogate

Its getting on for a year since Cycle Harrogate spluttered into the world rolling slowly forward. Its time to try and put some structure into what has been a fairly scattergun campaign to improve the lot of bike riders in our town.

We have had some small victories we have made some difference but nobody would claim this is now an easy place to ride a bike.

Things I know now

1. I have learned a lot about how local government works or sometimes doesn't work in Harrogate. 
2. There is a much bigger demand for cycle infrastructure in Harrogate than the County Council believes at the moment, this demand is being limited by poor car-centric transport planning.
3. People who ride bikes, also drive cars and walk too, there has been too much tribalism in transport planning. 

Things we need

Better signage and "named" cycle routes

The cycle network in Harrogate is actually not too bad in places. Trouble is it is poorly signed, there is no map and there is a huge opportunity for a design led solution and a marketing campaign. This is supposed to be happening now under the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. Money is in place it should be being spent as I write. I am concerned that money isn't being spent due to inertia from North Yorkshire County Council. I have a freedom of information request pending at the moment trying to work out what is happening, as talk is cheap. I am worried as has happened before, that the money won't be spent and could be clawed back by central government.

Provision for commuters on main routes

So far, few if any of the main arterial routes into Harrogate from the edges, do anything significant to make life easier for cyclists. There is no traffic separation, there are few cycle lanes and the needs of cars and HGV's are put before the needs of bikes. This is a big problem and as the heavily congested Knaresborough Road demonstrates you don't fix congestion by making life easier for cars and lorries.

Always consider cyclists when you are changing things

The number of times I have seen works on roads being carried out where for the cost of some paint a more bike friendly junction could have been made, and nothing has been done is beyond counting. We need an undertaking that when any work is carried out on Harrogate's roads the scheme considers how cyclists could be better catered for. Oh and then actually do something.

A cycling officer. 
If money exists and isn't being spent and the needs of bike riders aren't being considered within the Transport Department. It is because nobody needs to think about these things. Local government will continue to fail cyclists until there is an officer within North Yorkshire County Council that is paid to make bike riders lives easier.

More engagement from Councillors on cycle policy
Many Councillors claims that they support cycling but when you get down to specifics and ask questions you get very general answers. I believe money isn't the problem here, but political will. I need to see promises turning in to action. There is big demand for better cycle infrastructure in Harrogate and with a Tour De France coming I want to see changes to the roads of our town rather than warm words. Or we risk looking like we are just in it for our 48 hours in the world's spotlight.

Tell your Story

Howies are a Welsh based clothing company. Last week they made some new cycling stuff  and someone on twitter asked what I thought of it. Not that much I said.

It just looked un-remarkable. Five minutes later Howies are on twitter defending their product pointing out the unique features in their products, conducting a damage limitation exercise on social media. They were right their new tops are seamless (literally), good spec, some reflectiveness and some high quality zips and pockets on them. Thing is I had made my mind up after a quick look as people do and they had missed their chance to tell me all about it, they didn't grab my attention, they didn't tell their story.

Now Howies used to be owned by a man called David Hieatt a former advertising copyrighter turned clothing maker, part time environmental campaigner and a host of other good ideas all rolled up into a brand. He could tell a story. His story's were sometime better than his clothes. He could explain why a product was better for the planet and better for you. He got you thinking. I often used to browse their site for ideas rather than clothes.

One of the reasons cycle Harrogate exists is because of David Hieatt. He is a big one for just doing things, for getting on and ignoring all the negativity the word throws at us. I like his phrase "Done is better than perfect".  Somebody needed to really try and get Harrogate cycling, it might as well be me.

So excuse my often shocking grammar, my poorly constructed sentences and my occasional boring posts. I'm going to keep trying to tell the story of why cycling is so important for us all as a way of getting around. I will whinge on about why we need local government to do more to make it easier for people to ride their bikes, because if I don't maybe nobody else will.

I won't be buying a Howies cycling top, I cycle around in everyday clothes for the most part, I'm fat and forty I would look pretty scary in stretch clothing and my children would laugh or cry. If your looking for a decent cycling top though, you could do worse than look at the Howies ones. They have some interesting features below the surface. Oh and if you ever want a pair of jeans, David Hieatt is running a company making world beating jeans now and he doesn't tell quite so many stories.

Vote for me - The Harogate Cycling Debate

Cycle Harrogate is not aligned to any political party. However we do want to know what the various political parties plan to do about promoting cycling in the Harrogate area as there is both a County Council Election and a Tour De France coming up.

My views on the current performance of North Yorkshire County Council with regard to cycling are a matter of record. I don't think they are doing enough to promote cycling as a sustainable transport choice, I don't think they are even meeting their own stated objectives and I don't think they are meeting national guidance. In fairness to them they work for elected councillors who are voted for by people like me and you. If we don't have elected officials championing cycling why should council officers?

So if any prospective councillors or representatives of political parties would like to answer any of these following questions I will happily publish their responses and won't add my own commentary to them. At least not until after the elections. In that way if you care about cycling and want a County Councillor that does too, we all have an opportunity to know what they think and plan to do if elected.

A version of these questions I asked the County Council recently. As sometimes happens we got no meaningful response.

Update 5/4/2013

We have had our first responses from Don Mackenzie incumbent conservative councillor for Saltergate Division.

Don's responses are in blue

Update 6/4/2013
Jim Clark incumbent for Rossett Ward has sent his responses which are in a different blue and shown second.


1. How as a councillor would you monitor how the County Council is currently spending the Local Sustainable Transport Fund monies provided by central government and how would your interventions  benefit sustainable transport in Harrogate?

"As an active member of the NYCC Harrogate Area Committee and of the Transport Scrutiny Committee I have been fully supportive of sustainable transport initiatives."

 "I am an active member of the NYCC Harrogate Area Committee and I am fully supportive of sustainable transport initiatives and actively promote cycling in my division."

2. How as a councillor would you make sure that the County Council is working with local cycling groups and other interested parties to help make 2014's tour de France a huge success? Further how would you help guarantee a tour legacy now that central government has pledged £10 million to Yorkshire for Tour delivery?

"Bringing The Tour de France to North Yorkshire, and Harrogate in particular, is great news for cycling, in a town which has a rich heritage in that activity. I will play my part in ensuring that this success raises the profile of cycling even further in the borough, and that the legacy will not be lost as soon as the cyclists depart."

"The input of local groups such as Cycle Harrogate is valuable to the council and even more so at this exciting time as we start preparing for the Tour de France in Harrogate.  The potential legacy from this event is something we must seize upon, especially with the help of £10 million from the Government." 

3. In light of recent research finding Skipton Road to be one of the most congested roads in the country outside of London. How would you work to reduce congestion by encouraging modal shift as current transport policies that favour car use by default, appear to be failing?

"Skipton Road west of New Park roundabout is in my division. I know only too well from residents that congestion, especially at peak times, is already bad. Now more houses are proposed for the area. Certainly, a sustainable transport plan must accompany any large-scale housing development. I have played my own part in ensuring that those who wish to cycle have better facilities in which to do so. As Harrogate's Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport (2007-2010) I introduced cycling on the Stray on six dedicated dual-use paths - in the face of much opposition - and served for all those years on the working party for the Bilton - Ripley cyclepath (now the Nidderdale Greenway)."

"There are similar congestion problems on many of our main roads, including Otley Road, part of which is in my division.  It is clear that sustainable transport will have a major part to play in resolving congestion problems. People need to be encouraged, wherever possible, to consider walking, cycling and using public transport before they get in their car. Having contributed to the work on the Nidderdale Greenway and promoting sustainable transport in schools, I am aware there are many things we as councillors can do to help the cycling lobby work towards this modal shift."

4. How as a  councillor would you  work to fulfil national obligations to promote cycling and walking as specified in recent NICE guidelines  These guidelines cite these activities as ways of improving public health and call on councils to actively work to get more people engaging in these activities.

"I will ensure that the needs of cyclists are borne in mind when any decisions on transport-related matters are taken. Public Health is now a function of the County Council (since this week) and our Director of Public Health will no doubt be mindful of the benefits to public wellbeing of cycling. I am currently the Chairman of the NYCC Care and Independence Scrutiny Committee, and my committee is well aware of the importance of healthy lifestyles to the general public."

"The NICE guidelines are clear and I am sure that, now Public Health is a function of the County Council, the Director of Public Health will be considering how they relate to the work the council does.  As Chairman of the Scrutiny of Health Committee I will be working closely with the Director of Public Health and will ensure this matter is firmly on the council’s agenda."

Lets all be excellent with each other - Safe use of the Nidderdale Greenway

The Nidderdale Greenway has been open nearly a week. Yesterday an older person was knocked down by a bike rider  and air lifted to Harrogate Hospital with a broken hip. Worse yet the rider apparently rode off from the scene of the incident.  More from North Yorkshire Police on the incident here.

I wish her a full and speedy recovery I hope justice finds the cyclist if they really did leave the scene.

How could this happen? Well I have a few ideas even though I know nothing of the circumstances of the incident. I also have a few suggestions about how to stop it happening again.

The Nidderdale Greenway is a shared use facilitiy its not a cycleway as some people believe. Bikes, walkers and horses are welcome. For that to work people have to share the route, this means compromise. These types of transport all operate at different speeds. Walkers take many risks when they use a path like this. Bikes are bigger and going faster, horses pose yet another set of risks to both horse riders and other users. I wonder if people have thought this through? Its still better though than going on a road with things with engines.

I saw some poor/risky behaviour on bank holiday monday as I rode the route. This from both cyclists and walkers. Some bike riders rode like they were about to sprint for the line on a stage of the Tour de France. That's way too fast on a route that was really busy with loads of traffic. Young kids walking and on bikes and lots of dogs wandering around not to mention loads of "ordinary" bikes and walkers. I saw some walkers stopping and chatting in groups. They were blocking the path or walking three and four abreast this was no help. I didn't hear enough bike bells being rung or even bike riders saying excuse me. Someone was throwing a stick for a dog up and down the route that's just daft.

I felt there was overly risky behaviour from too many people. I think this is ignorance not stupidity. I figured what the heck, no one got hurt and then it turned out somebody had. I think people don't know what to do and there are no signs at the moment to tell you what is expected. Signs will go up soon I am told. This will help but I don't want any more avoidable accidents so this post is an attempt to get some guidance out there.

On a positive note nearly everybody seemed to be having a good time and that remains the most important thing. This is a leisure route mainly (apologies if you commute on it), but I think we need to educate users so there are as few injuries going forward as possible.

Some common sense stuff for various types of user that might make everyone's life better and longer.

Bike Riders

Take it steady when you approach groups of walkers or horse riders, ring your bell, slow down or say excuse me. They won't hear you as a bike is virtually silent when approaching from behind. Slow down a bit generally. If you want to go out time trialling this is not the place.  Horses particularly can be spooked by bikes, I spooked one once when riding to fast and as it reared over me its front legs flailing I made a rapid mental decision to be more considerate in the future.

Walkers

There are bikes around look out for them, give them some room don't hog the whole route. You are at risk as bikes can go fast and will hurt if they hit you. Most bike riders wear protective gear most walkers don't. You need to be aware of whats going on around you.

Dog Walkers

You have to control your dog and that might mean putting it on a lead when its a really busy day. There of plenty of videos of dogs losing in collisions with bikes on You Tube. I wouldn't want that to be your dog. Your dog can also unseat a horse rider if it spooks it. Horses riders have a really poor safety record when it come to riders being injured or killed after being thrown, they are that bit higher up.

Horse Riders
Your vulnerable as well, you need to make sure your horse is used to both dogs and bikes before you take it on to what is often a busy route. Equally an out of control horse can be a dangerous weapon to other users, make sure you are confident in your ability to control your horse before you set off.

Now there is nothing to difficult or scary there is there? Off you go and enjoy your wonderful new car free route and please, be excellent with each other.

All hail the Nidderdale Greenway - Traffic free cycling from Harrogate to Ripley

We managed to get out as a family today on the recently opened Nidderdale Greenway, Sustrans's excellent new cycle route from Harrogate to Ripley via the old Railway line.

It was fantastic we rode for about 40 mins steadily zooming along on what was today a very busy cycle way. Its is Sustran's usual quality provision and to be honest they didn't have too much to do for most of the way. As the railway route is pretty good quality. Its lovely as it goes over the Nidd Viaduct. As you get out toward Ripley it bobs and weaves a bit through the trees by the banks of the river and then takes you over the main road and across a field and right into Ripley itself.

I made it around about 4 and half miles from Starbeck. We started at the top of the Avenue and I reckon maybe a shade less if you got on at the bottom end of the Asda car park in Harrogate town.

There were lots of people on bikes and loads of people just out for a stroll or walking with their dogs. Everyone rubbing along together and all getting some exercise in a nice car free environment, genius.

I only got one negative comment from another bike rider who said "There are too many ignorant pedestrians around." I thought there was one to many ignorant cyclists.  I wish I'd had the thought quicker I would have told him.

We stopped for ice cream in Ripley (I still don't know what all the fuss is about Ripley ice cream is? Its nothing special). This was a questionably stupid decision as the east wind was now blowing and it, coupled with the ice cream cooled us all down just enough to make the journey back into the headwind a little bit of an endurance test. My four year old was pretty cold by the time we got back but the eldest had done his longest ever cycle ride starting and finishing at his house, brilliant.

All in all a grand day out. Myself and Mrs Cycle Harrogate were eye-ing up the Boars Head whilst we munched ice cream. The next time we get an evening out, it looks like beer and bikes and if you go to the Gardener's Arms on Bilton Lane a mini pub crawl seems possible.

Here are a couple more sketch maps of the route showing where to get on and off the trail

Reach for the Sky - British Cycling get involved in Harrogate

Sky Rides are coming to Harrogate these are recreational rides to get more people cycling. They are organised by British Cycling the people behind the success of our world beating olympic cyclists, Mark Cavendish and Sir Bradley Wiggins. There will be a lot more news about these over the next year but for now. If you want to get involved with the whole setup and run some rides you can?

I just got this from Jo Armstrong at Harrogate Borough Council...

Sky Ride Local is coming to North Yorkshire in 2013 and we’re looking for confident recreational cyclists to train as Ride Leaders and Route Planners. You don’t need to be a cycling expert, just be confident riding in groups and have heaps of enthusiasm.

Our Ride Leaders are friendly, confident, chatty individuals who love encouraging others and are happy to operate as one member of a team. If this sounds like you then keep reading.
The British Cycling assessed one-day course qualifies you to deliver led rides for groups of beginners and intermediate level adults and accompanied children.

In North Yorkshire we currently have Sky Ride leader training courses scheduled on:
14th April - York
18th May – Harrogate
22nd June - York

To get involved, get in touch with us at skyride@britishcycling.org.uk and tell us where you live, postcode, a little about yourself, why you would make a great Ride Leader and if you hold a valid first aid certificate.

For more information visit: http://www.goskyride.com/News/ShowArticle/Fancy-training-to-be-a-British-Cycling-Ride-Leader?retURL=/News

Jo Armstrong
Sport and Play Development Officer
Harrogate Borough Council
Department of Development Services
Culture, Tourism & Sports
E-mail: joanne.armstrong@harrogate.gov.uk

"On my command unleash the Tour De France Legacy Doves"

An interesting day for Cycling in Harrogate. I was nattering to Radio York this morning after they tracked me down. I talked about Cycling in Harrogate and why it wasn't as big as it is in York.

I think I managed to blame it on poor infrastructure and a lack of any kind of strategic planning on the part of NYCC, if not dear reader I tried. Thing is it was snowing, I was stood outside and I was covered in cold, wet cement. So for some reason I was all jovial and diplomatic which is not like me at all. I hope no one got the impression I thought our county council are doing a good job catering for bike riders in the town.

This evening I was at the first meeting of the Harrogate Cycle Forum where Harrogate Borough Council who do seem interested in talking to local cyclists and listening to their views, met with maybe 20 folk who had all turned up to exchange ideas and compare agendas.

Most of the Harrogate clubs where there, a few activists like myself along with a couple of bike shop owners and people with business interests that involve bikes.

Here is what I learned, Harrogate Borough council have committed to getting more people on a bike (YESSSSS),  Jo Armstrong is the lead on this, she is doing good stuff. Kids are being trained, rides for novice bike riders are being organised, bikes will be available for loan if you fancy a go.

We need some better information to get people riding and there is to be work on this more detail to follow.

There will be money to get some cycle trainers in the area, this is all good stuff and should be celebrated. There is going to be a cycle festival as part of national bike week during the week leading up to and including the weekend of 22nd  and 23rd of June. There will be lots of stuff happening. More  info when things get nailed down.

John McGivern is the council officer tasked with getting the Tour De France delivered in Harrogate District, he looked scared and excited and he looks well capable. He wants to leave a legacy after the Tour behemoth rolls across the Stray and heads south, good man. We are going to see what we can come up with as a group and let John deliver it, more news when we have thrashed out a plan.

Then news rolled in as I got home, that the Government in Westminster have approved 10 million quid to help deliver the Tour in Yorkshire, WOOHOO. Some of this cash should wash across the shores of the district and as the wave breaks, you should see marks on the high tide line to prove it was there. We do indeed live in interesting times. If only NYCC seemed to have noticed that the third biggest sporting event in the world was coming for two days to their backyard. If they were actually committed to sustainable transport and that they had a generational opportunity to make Harrogate a bike town. I would actually believe all my dreams had come true.

Anyway look out for those Legacy Doves in late 2014. They will show when the waters from the tour have receded and we are once more, just a small town, surrounded by countryside with a congestion problem.

Harrogate Hospital begin to cuddle cyclists

A good meeting today with Liz Pugh from Harrogate Hospital Trust. We had a chat about what we could do to help each other get more staff from the hospital cycling. Oh I and I had a mild dig at their relatively unambitious travel plan for cyclists. Here's what we came up with.

• We will work together to make a leaflet to promote cycling to hospital staff. It will contain info about routes, clubs, the cycle to work scheme and other cycling related info.
• We will have some staff members who are points of contact if people who are thinking about cycling to work. This  so that they have someone they can have a chat with if they have an issues that might be putting them off.
• We will do a joint presentation/open day style event to try and promote the cycle to work scheme and increase take up.
• The Hospital will investigate if they can make some suggested improvements to on site cycle storage and lighting.
• The Hospital will give their support to our campaign to improve cycle infrastructure on the Knaresborough Rd. Makes sense they are at one end of it

I have been fairly critical over the last sixth months of the hospital's spectacular  reluctance do to anything tangible to promote cycling. Now they are working with both us and Jo Armstrong from Harrogate Borough Council its  time to lay off them a bit and see if together we can get some staff from Harrogate's biggest employer pedalling.

The Nidderdale Greenway its a wrap

The nice people at Sustrans, North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Cycle Action have been building a cycle route from Bilton to Ripley for a goodly while now. Some people didn't want it. In fact they managed to force two public enquiries where they argued that death and pestilence would result from people cycling on a disused railway line in the open air  through their land. Well the second  public enquiry has reached its conclusion and its now officially go for launch.

Should be open end of March latest, I can't wait. I'm going to cycle with my family from my house to Ripley, eat some overrated Ice Cream and cycle back, it will be great. Thanks to all those people that made it happen and if you were against it I hope you get over yourself and learn to love what is in your backyard. I wish I was lucky enough to have so much land it had a railway across it, just saying.

Here is the report of the public enquiry if you want a read

Small steps rolling forward

So myself and three others from Harrogate Cycle Action met last month to come up with a list of some small improvements we would like made for cycle users in Harrogate over the next year. We know money is tight but we were hopeful that somethings could be done. We have had a response form NYCC recently here are the edited highlights:

The Beryl Burton Cycleway has had a haircut to the foliage overhanging it prior to it getting some love and maintenance. Thank you army foundation college. Thank you NYCC for making this happen. Anyone been down that way recently? I have been working out of town.

Some of the schemes in our small improvement list will be funded out of what is called the LSTF (local sustainable transport fund) money. We should know details of what and when by March. When I know I will let you know.

There will be some cycle lane provision on Hookstone Road running up from Hornbeam Park Station toward Leeds Road. Thank you NYCC.

There will be works to the road network as a result of the Tour De France coming to town. Cycle Harrogate will be lobbying for some of this money to be infrastructure legacy as well as the"black carpet" of asphalt Cavendish will need to have a chance at a stage win.

On the whole a rather more positive picture than of late. Here is hoping for more good news soon

Tour De France news round up, building a cycling legacy for Harrogate

The manic joy is leaving me but I'm still madly excited that the Tour De France is coming to my town and twice in two days, wow. What about Legacy? I had a meeting last night with some local activists we talked a lot about legacy, after the Olympics I think we all get that idea now. There was a suggestion we argue for Cycle Town status like Bristol and others got over the last few years. It worked wonders for the towns were the money was invested. There were other ideas knocking around. I started thinking.

Recently I met with Joanne Armstrong and John Mcgivern at the Hydro. They both work for Harrogate Borough Council. Jo is a sport development officer, John is specifically looking at the legacy the tour can leave.

We talked about what a reasonable legacy from the Tour would be. Greater participation was something we all agreed on. Greater participation being difficult without better infrastructure was another point where our views aligned. John was realistic about legacy being hard to deliver but he also seems committed to making the Tour's visit more than a two day wonder. Jo is interested in anything that gets people riding bikes, she is working with employers, including (hooray) the hospital. So there seems to be some much needed progress, which is great news.

In the short term there is going to be a committee of interested local people who will look in more details about specific legacy aims. Its great to be part of this and I'm delighted to be asked. North Yorkshire County Council will be part of this group too,which is more good news as ultimately they have most of the money.

So a little over two weeks after the Tour announcement it seems like local government is rising to the challenge. It was also good to see Deputy Prime minster Nick Clegg  agreeing to meet with Welcome to Yorkshire and the Cabinet to talk about central government funding for the Grand Depart. We remain hopeful that some money will be invested and that some of it will be spent on infrastructure. Exciting times.

A final thought if you have any specific ideas about what would be a good legacy for Harrogate get in touch, I can put your views forward.

Lancing the boil

So Lance Armstrong has admitted some of his misdemeanour's. The EPO, the steroids, the bullying and the lies. Well done Lance you are now in tune with the rest of the world so your no longer delusional, good work.

Trouble is you helped bring one of the greatest cycling events and a fine sport to its knees. In  an orgy of drug taking and miracle performances that made a mockery of competition.  You and your kind deprived clean athletes of places on podiums and stopped some people making a living from the sport they also loved, but one they chose to play clean.

Professional cycling has some questions to answer especially the UCI and I'm pleased you now appear to want to tell a little more of the truth. Lets get this done and all move on into a more regulated world. One where most athletes ride clean and the governing bodies mercilessly seek out cheats and frauds, hopefully that will be your legacy to cycling.

My problem with the idea that we should forgive or forget because you say your sorry, that's just ridiculous. The notion that you think that you might have a place in any kind of competitive sport going forward makes my skin crawl. Lance some things can't be atoned for however often you say sorry. Some decisions that you make over decades you live with forever and take to the grave.

If you wear and glory in the Jersey's, the fame and the fortune, the celebrity lifestyle, all those heady years when you rule the world. When it then turns out your victories are built on sand and lies, you have to accept that you need to do something else with the rest of your life.

Its not about the bike and its not about Lance the athlete any more.  I'm not interested in anything you have to say about sport going forward, I will now never believe the things you say. So stop seeking a platform and do something with your life, you have years left, use them for some small good and tell no one but the people you help.

The Tour is coming, The Tour is coming, The Tour De France is coming to HARROGATE

Dreamland stuff then, the route of the 2014 Tour De France Grand Depart has just been announced. Stage one finishes with a sprint in Harrogate and stage two appears to be going through Knaresborough and then pretty much past my house. Deep joy all round, a flat'ish stage for Cavendish to have a pop and maybe win a stage in his mum's home town. Thousands of bike fans all spending money in the town and the eyes of the Europe and a fair bit of the rest of the world on Harrogate. Lets make it a good one Harrogate, lets show the world we are a bike friendly town, lets show them we take bikes and activity seriously and lets do Yorkshire proud.

Right I'm off to lie in a darkened room and calm down a bit.

More on the route here

Legacy

What will the tour leave Harrogate when it moves on? Other than some great memories, a few hangovers, some fuller bank accounts and lots of tidying up. If we are not careful the answer could be precious little. If the eyes of the world are to be turned on Harrogate for a few hours, it would be nice to think that like the olympics where legacy was a founding principle. That Harrogate can benefit on the back of the sporting circus having come to town. 

It should come as no surprise then that cycle Harrogate will be banging the drum for mass participation and the infrastructure to bring this participation about over the next 18 months. If Harrogate could get anything lasting out of the tour I would like it to be that it becomes a "biketown".

On Beryl In Peril

News just in on the Beryl Burton Cycleway. It will be partially re-surfaced, hopefully in the not to distant future. Before the resurfacing happens the Army Foundation College are going to do some voluntary work to cut back the overhanging branches, clean out the cattle grid and cut some drainage channels, to try and stop the unrelenting rain making the situation any worse than it already is.

Thanks to North Yorkshire County Council Transport for sharing their plans on this. A pity we don't have a cyclist's forum to discuss these issues. Perhaps a few riders could have helped with the work, perhaps they still could?