Author Archives: Simon

Bowden Housteads Link

Written by . Posted on September 5, 2011. Filed under external feed. Tagged . Comments Off.

Sustrans Sheffield

http://sustranssheffield.blogspot.com/2011/09/bowden-housteads-link.html

A short piece of track between the A57 Mosbrough Parkway junction and the bridge over the Parkway leading to Bowden Housteads wood has been officially designated a cycleway. That will enable us to sign it as a link between NCN6 & 67,   avoiding a steep climb up to the next bridge followed by a downhill again & this will be incorporated in the re-signing exercise we're working on (see earlier posts) . 

More cleaning up at Manor Way

Written by . Posted on August 24, 2011. Filed under external feed. Tagged . Comments Off.

Sustrans Sheffield

http://sustranssheffield.blogspot.com/2011/08/more-cleaning-up-at-manor-way.html

Morris & myself had a successful morning cleaning up at our favourite place (no I didn't take any pictures, just look through the older blog posts if you want to know what it looks like.) I do feel we're getting to a point where we can say that the Victoria Quays - Rother Valley route is up to a reasonable standard most of the time. 

Sheffield to Manchester route

Written by . Posted on August 14, 2011. Filed under external feed. Tagged . Comments Off.

Sustrans Sheffield

http://sustranssheffield.blogspot.com/2011/08/sheffield-to-manchester-route.html



View Sheffield to Manchester in a larger map

Route description: http://www.cyclesheffield.org.uk/route-planning/long-distance-routes/sheffield-to-manchester/

Sustrans people rode the route on 13th August.

Highlights of the trip were:-
The gorgeous Porter Valley Route.
Dramatic views across Burbage & Bamford moors and courteous treatment by drivers.
Ladybower Dam & the Thornhill Trail
Pretty countryside around Slackhall.
The High Peak tramway
The Floop - a superb route, very well maintained. Good to see that that some of the dafter access controls have been removed (e.g. Sainsburys Fallowfield)
Access to City Centre from Fallowfield along Wilmslow Rd was reasonable.
A good pint at the Sand Box. 
Plenty of room on the Northern Rail stopping train via Hope Valley for bikes.


Agreed that Sheffield Bamford Station could be opened as an interim route and Bamford to New Mills is close to being interim. 


Things we spotted yesterday which would enable upgrade of status from “interim” to “fully open” 


Permission to use Guernsey Rd/Lynwood Gardens/Park Lane rather than Clarkehouse Rd
Slower speeds on Clarkehouse Rd
Removal of demarcation line in Bingham Park - making it fully Shared Use
Better crossiings at Hangingwater, Whiteley Wood Rd, “Quiet” Lane.
Slower speeds on Sheffield section of Ringinglow Rd
Allow cycling across Ladybower Dam.
Allow cycling on track between Aston & Hope Cemetery - Negotiate via Caravan Club.
Measures to reduce congestion in Castleton
Metalled cycleway on Mam Tor

Slower speeds on Rushup Edge

Widen pavement on A624 between (?name of lane) & Charley Lane.
Access issues on High Peak tramway - current status is unclear.
Improve crossing at Bugsworth basin. (signage for Pennine Cycleway needed here.)
Partial re-surfacing of canal towpath New Mills - Marple.
Completion of Connect 2 scheme at Marple.

Note that canal towpath surface beyond Marple is not suitable for interim route.

Link from roadway to Floop at Longford Rd West was not clearly signed.

Sheffield to Manchester route

Written by . Posted on August 14, 2011. Filed under external feed. Tagged . Comments Off.

Sustrans Sheffield

http://sustranssheffield.blogspot.com/2011/08/sheffield-to-manchester-route.html


Sustrans people rode the route on 13th August.

Highlights of the trip were:-
The gorgeous Porter Valley Route.
Dramatic views across Burbage & Bamford moors and courteous treatment by drivers.
Ladybower Dam & the Thornhill Trail
Pretty countryside around Slackhall.
The High Peak tramway
The Floop - a superb route, very well maintained. Good to see that that some of the dafter access controls have been removed (e.g. Sainsburys Fallowfield)
Access to City Centre from Fallowfield along Wilmslow Rd was reasonable.

Agreed that Sheffield Bamford Station could be opened as an interim route and Bamford to New Mills is close to being interim.

Things we spotted yesterday which would enable upgrade of status from “interim” to “fully open”

Permission to use Guernsey Rd/Lynwood Gardens/Park Lane rather than Clarkehouse Rd
Slower speeds on Clarkehouse Rd
Removal of demarcation line in Bingham Park - making it fully Shared Use
Better crossiings at Hangingwater, Whitel Wood Rd, “Quiet” Lane.
Slower speeds on Sheffield section of Ringinglow Rd
Allow cycling across Ladybower Dam.
Allow cycling on track between Aston & Hope Cemetery - Negotiate via Caravan Club.
Measures to reduce congestion in Castleton
Metalled cycleway on Mam Tor

Slower speeds on Rushup Edge

Widen pavement on A624 between (?name of lane) & Chaarley Lane.
Access issues on High Peak tramway - current status is unclear.
Improve crossing at bugsworth basin.
Partial re-surfacing of canal towpath New Mills - Marple.
Completion of Connect 2 scheme at Marple.

Note that canal towpath surface beyond Marple is not suitable for interim route.

Link from roadway to Floop at Longford Rd West was not clearly signed.

Sheffield to Manchester route

Written by . Posted on August 14, 2011. Filed under external feed. Tagged . Comments Off.

Sustrans Sheffield

http://sustranssheffield.blogspot.com/2011/08/sheffield-to-manchester-route.html


Sustrans people rode the route on 13th August.

Highlights of the trip were:-
The gorgeous Porter Valley Route.
Dramatic views across Burbage & Bamford moors and courteous treatment by drivers.
Ladybower Dam & the Thornhill Trail
Pretty countryside around Slackhall.
The High Peak tramway
The Floop - a superb route, very well maintained. Good to see that that some of the dafter access controls have been removed (e.g. Sainsburys Fallowfield)
Access to City Centre from Fallowfield along Wilmslow Rd was reasonable.

Agreed that Sheffield Bamford Station could be opened as an interim route and Bamford to New Mills is close to being interim.

Things we spotted yesterday which would enable upgrade of status from “interim” to “fully open”

Permission to use Guernsey Rd/Lynwood Gardens/Park Lane rather than Clarkehouse Rd
Slower speeds on Clarkehouse Rd
Removal of demarcation line in Bingham Park - making it fully Shared Use
Better crossiings at Hangingwater, Whitel Wood Rd, “Quiet” Lane.
Slower speeds on Sheffield section of Ringinglow Rd
Allow cycling across Ladybower Dam.
Allow cycling on track between Aston & Hope Cemetery - Negotiate via Caravan Club.
Measures to reduce congestion in Castleton
Metalled cycleway on Mam Tor

Slower speeds on Rushup Edge

Widen pavement on A624 between (?name of lane) & Chaarley Lane.
Access issues on High Peak tramway - current status is unclear.
Improve crossing at bugsworth basin.
Partial re-surfacing of canal towpath New Mills - Marple.
Completion of Connect 2 scheme at Marple.

Note that canal towpath surface beyond Marple is not suitable for interim route.

Link from roadway to Floop at Longford Rd West was not clearly signed.

Disgruntled customer ride

Written by . Posted on July 22, 2011. Filed under external feed. Tagged . Comments Off.

Sustrans Sheffield

http://sustranssheffield.blogspot.com/2011/07/disgruntled-customer-ride.html

Well , it's just the way it goes. You take a couple of disgruntled customers, who say they got lost on the way to Meadowhall, out for a ride and make them fix all the signs they say they missed. Then, when you get back to Sheffield Station and offer to buy them a drink (Celia had to go home and get dinner) who should you run into but a whole bunch of Sustrans Bike It officers who've been out to the Peak District for a team meeting. So naturally you make the last remaining Disgruntled Customer buy all the drinks. Hooray!

Sustrans Voliday

Written by . Posted on July 5, 2011. Filed under external feed. Tagged . Comments Off.

Sustrans Sheffield

http://sustranssheffield.blogspot.com/2011/07/sustrans-voliday.html

Sheffield University staff from External Relations volunteered to help clean up the National Cycle Network on the 5th July 2011 and had a great time. Here's some pix from the day:-














If you'd like to get your team out on a workday on the National Cycle Network, get in touch - we can arrange it.

By train to the Alps

Written by . Posted on June 18, 2011. Filed under external feed. Tagged . No comments.

cycleblog

http://smgcycleblog.blogspot.com/2011_06_12_archive.html#7518825813641137864

Every time I take my bike on the train to Europe it does seem to get a bit easier, so for those of you who want to give it a try here's how we did it this year. To get the cheapest fares you need to cut the journey into bike-size chunks - like this

(i) Sheffield - London. Booked online via East Coast
(ii) London - Paris. Booked online with Eurostar, then you have to call baggage despatch and book the bikes on. £30 each way per bike which is a bit steep I think. When you get to the destination station you can collect the bike straight off the train if you're quick off the mark down to the baggage car.
(iii) Paris  - Grenoble. Booked by phone with Rail Europe. This is on the TGV which takes about 3 hours - 356 miles. How come people don't want High Speed Rail in the UK? The downside is that SNCF will only let you book your bike on certain trains, generally either very early or very late  - however these tend to be the cheaper  trains as well. Olaf our friendly guard was quite surprised to learn that we had actually booked the bikes on the train, so it seems SNCF are still getting used to the idea.

But it wasn't all sweetness and light - my travelling companion took her bike back by train from Briancon to Grenoble, but was caught by a strike and got her bike on the replacement coach with difficulty. In fact I got back to Grenoble only about half an hour after her having cycled the 112kms.

Plus  we took a little side-trip to Italy (without bikes) which was slightly marred by one of the Simplon tunnels being closed, although that did mean we got a stunning coach ride over the Simplon pass.

And the cost? About £250 return each, which might sound like a lot in these days of cheap airlines, but if you take bikes the extra charges soon add up and you don't have to leave your bike in the tender hands of the baggage handlers, so it's worth it if only for the stress-free experience.


A week in cycling

Written by . Posted on May 29, 2011. Filed under external feed. Tagged . Comments Off.

cycleblog

http://smgcycleblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/week-in-cycling.html

This week in cycling kicked off for me with a 20's plenty for Sheffield meeting on Monday. 20's plenty of course benefits everyone, not just cyclists. One of the items we discussed was how best to influence politicians - Cyclesheffield has kicked off the dialogue with the new Labour Administration in Sheffield through it's Manifesto for Transport in Sheffield  but we need the support of local MP's as well. Danny Dorling suggested he might be able to pull a few strings and sure enough in a couple of days we had an appointment booked with Nick Clegg. 


Tuesday night we had a Sustrans Volunteer Ride  (photos here) We fixed a couple of problems and found some more we couldn't fix, so we've referred them to the council. 


Wednesday night we went out to the Monsal Trail to explore the newly opened tunnels - photos here. A real mixed ride - some people car-shared, some rode out (44 miles round trip) and Jon got the train to Grindleford and cycled from there. This really is an impressive route - although open, there is some finishing-off work to do - and will be a real draw for the Peak District. We hope people will take advantage of the complete cycle route, eventually from Matlock to Buxton when it is all in place, to come by bike from the railheads rather than increasing the congestion in the Peak. There are opportunities for some circular rides as well using the High Peak & Tissington Trails and the Pennine Cycleway & Trans-Pennine Trail or you could make up your own on adjacent minor roads  - the A6 isn't a particularly pleasant road to cycle on, especially with the quarry traffic in this area. Sheffield CTC have been out there as well. 


Thursday night nothing much happened, but on Friday I popped off for a chat with Nick Clegg about 20's plenty. He was supportive, but thought it was something that was best decided at a local level - a fairly normal  
Lib Dem response. I mentioned some of the areas that had introduced Total 20 and he did register that Lancashire has just done it across the county - a conservastive council at that!We promised to keep him informed, and also had a good chat about bikes - he'd visited the Brompton factory and was very impressed. 
Richard Attwood has done a briefing paper - 5 Good Reasons for a Default 20 mph limit for Sheffield - which 


Then I set off for St Marys for a debate about Climate Change organised by SCACC. Nick Clegg was on the panel, and I got in a question about sustainable travel - "Emissions from transport stand at 24% of the UK total, according to the Department for Energy and Climate Change. 

Do you think the Coalition Government is doing enough to promote sustainable travel?  "

Nicks response was no, he didn't think the government was doing enough, and of course was able to mention that he'd been talking to me about 20s plenty. One of the other panellists pointed out that the cost of motoring to the user has remained stable over the past 10 years, despite the rising cost of fuel (& the constant whining of the motoring fraternity) while the cost of public transport has gone up by 50%.Other topics covered were the need to invest in insulation and end fuel poverty, the impact of Climate Change on developing countries and the role of capitalism in all this. Nick Clegg I thought put up a spirit defence of the government's green policies and I hope he will take the criticisms that were levied back to Westminster and do something with them. 


So the week ending, time for a couple of pints in the Rising Sun with friends and a chat about the joys of cycling in France!