Feb 07 Report
From Pedalpushers
Around the City
Picture Caption: Simon tries out the University’s new pool bike, a Dahon Folder.
Some sadness and some optimism in this issue’s report.
We learnt with concern last year of the deaths of three cyclists in the same week. We raised this with council via the Cycle Forum, and it has been referred to Road Safety. In particular, we are concerned about safety on Ringinglow Rd, where one of the deaths occurred, and the other popular cycling routes out towards the Peak. It seems to me that traffic speeds are far too high on these roads. Other routes such as Redmires Rd and Bole Hill, need to be looked at as well. At least Derbyshire have taken a lead by reducing the speed limit on the A57 Snake to 50 – still fast enough to be intimidating for a new cyclist though.
Back in town the shape of the new more cycle-friendly road system around the station is starting to emerge. Sheaf St itself isn’t very cycle-friendly, but has an off-road route running alongside and you have the option of using Pond St as well, with the new bus gate hopefully deterring all but the most reckless and inconsiderate of motorists from using it. With care you can make your way from Granville Square to Don Riverside along the emerging route.
While you’re there, why not take a look at the new section of the Five Weirs Walk, Phase 6b, with its Bailey Bridge and viewing platform at Norfolk Bridge? One thing that has been taken on board with this new section is the need for accessibility, with the bollards at access points sufficiently wide apart that you can get tandems, trailers and trikes through, including the famous “Mal-mobiles”/ It’s a pity the rest of the walk hasn’t been built to this standard, and I expect it will be a long time before some of the barriers on other parts are taken out but it’s a start.
Work continues on the Northern Inner Relief Road, with only Shalesmoor currently open for use. We have raised some concerns about the arrangements for cyclists which are generally very good so far - once the scheme is complete we should get a better idea of the overall effect on cycling in the area which has been a nightmare to cycle through for some time. Alongside Penistone Rd you can see part of the North Don Trail taking shape, with a high-quality cycleway making its way towards Hillsborough College.
We are increasingly concerned about the council’s attitude towards motorcycles. Having had a trial of allowing motorbikes into bus lanes, they have decided to expand this further, Although they assured us they would proceed with caution on this issue, it turns out they have changed the rules so that motorcycles are allowed into bus lanes regardless of what the accompanying sign says. This raises the potential for cyclists not realising that they re likely to come into proximity with a fast-moving motorbike in a bus lane. Apart from the noise and pollution aspects of motorbikes, we are concerned about the deterrent effect on new cyclists, not to mention the abuse of city centre cycle parking by their owners and we have written to John Bann, the Head of Transport and Highways, about this. I’ll update you on the reply in my next report.
The SYNDDA Sheffield Section have been very supportive of our campaign to get bikes carried on the tram, and Barry their secretary has joined me in writing letters to councillors. We are disappointed that after successful trails and surveys about passenger attitudes to bikes no progress has been made. We are going to meet with Councillor Bernard Little to see how we can take this further.
On the other hand Northern Rail have been very much more supportive of the bikes and trains agenda. Their Cycling Strategy, to which I and many other people have contributed, notably Martin Bright of Sustrans and Dave Holladay of the CTC had been launched and contains two main points of interest: The introduction of a flexible bikes on trains policy, which states that two bikes per train is the norm but that conductors have discretion to carry more if they consider it safe to do so – if travelling with Northern please respect the conductors decision on this, after all you have a bike and could always cycle on to the next station and catch the next train – and no less than 38 action points to improve conditions for cyclists, including Northern’s own staff.
I have recently become a member of the board of the Cycle Campaign Network and have been to two board meetings so far in Reading. The group is pushing on cycling issues nationally and on a European basis.
To end on another sad note we will be saying farewell to Jos Kingston, one of our active members, on the 21st April. Jos passed away on the 4th of February. Jos was a friend and a fervent supporter of our work. She was a great lover of the Peak District, and realised her dream when she moved out to Hathersage from Heeley.
Many of us will remember her hospitality when we met at her house to discuss how we could improve access to the Peak District for cyclists and walkers - work that we are still carrying on today and will continue to do in her name. She represented us at the Stanage Forum and the Local Access Forum as a member of the awkward squad- asking the questions that the authorities often don't want to hear.
Her daughter Sarah tells me that "her death was very peaceful; after enjoying a sunny morning in Hathersage she went for a sleep at around midday and didn't wake. It was the best we all hoped for and definitely what Jos wanted.” I passed through Hathersage that day, as many of us often do, and now that I think back I’m sure I felt an unusual chill as I cycled up Back Lane, although it could be my imagination playing tricks.
We plan to visit her grave in the Hathersage churchyard on the 21st of April– I’m not sure she would want us to lay flowers that had been air-freighted in from Kenya but I’m sure we can find a more appropriate way to pay our respects.
See you on the road sometime.
Simon Geller.
