cycling Archives - Page 18 of 19

Harrogate boy to cycle 100 miles for Henshaws

A 10-year-old from Harrogate will start a 100-mile cycling challenge today to raise funds for Henshaws.

Ewan Clarkson is a keen cyclist and wants to use his hobby to help others.

He will split the distance over three consecutive days, cycling at home on an electronic bike. During training, Ewan said he has watched TV “to keep me going”.

He said:

“I’ve been on the indoor bike building it up – over the past few days I’ve been doing 50km.

“Cycling is my passion. When I was little I went round the garden and the arts and craft centre which I loved. I wanted to raise money for them because how they help disabled people is amazing.”

Ewan’s initial fundraising target was £100 but by Friday he had already raised more than £240. To support him, click here.

Ewan often cycles with his dad, Ian Clarkson, and his parents were always supportive of his pledge. Ian said:

“We’ve always told him it’s not a race – it’s about getting the distance done. When he saw the challenge he wanted to do it straight away.

“He knows he can do the distance as long as his legs don’t give up. He’s taken his training seriously and he was determined. I think he’s ready.”

The charity said lockdown has left it struggling financially, initiatives like this are helping.

The Henshaws Hundreds challenge is a new fundraising initiative launched by the charity to raise vital money. It has experienced shortfalls this year which it attributes to coronavirus and the lack of charity events taking place.

Gemma Young, Henshaws’ fundraising manager for Yorkshire, said:

“Launching at the start of National Eye Health Week on September 21, for 10 whole days we are challenging supporters to do ‘your hundred, your way!’

“Inclusivity really is at the heart of this challenge. It’s possible to cover your chosen distance in a wheelchair, using a walking frame, walking on your hands, or by running, walking swimming or cycling.”

Public consultation launched on land swap for Stray cycle route

Harrogate Borough Council is to ask residents about a proposed cycle route on the Otley road as it will take up part of the Stray.

The council has to seek the public’s opinion as the proposed new cycle route needs to use land that is legally designated as Stray land. It also wants views on whether to amend a Stray Byelaw to allow cycling on the proposed Otley Road route.

Under the Stray Act any land taken from the Stray has to be given back elsewhere; be no more than 100 metres from the Stray and be ‘equally advantageous’ to residents.

The three options that have been proposed for the land swap are Wetherby Road (behind the hospital), St James Drive verges or Arthurs Avenue verges.

The council says it is working with North Yorkshire County Council to improve transport infrastructure in the west of Harrogate.

The Stray Defence Association has previously expressed concern about the areas proposed for the land swap questioning the value to the public of verges along Arthurs Avenue and St James Drive becoming Stray land.

Councillor Phil Ireland, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for sustainability, said:

“In order for a new, safe, segregated cycleway to be implemented on the verges of Otley Road we need to hear people’s views on the exchange land options and byelaw amendments.

“We believe we have identified three suitable options to offer as exchange land and I’d urge residents to share their views.”

The council says comments on these proposals can be given online at: www.harrogate.gov.uk/haveyoursay by Monday 9 November.

Easy riders like a Sunday morning in Nidderdale

On most Sunday mornings a section of the car park just off Pateley Bridge High Street, is packed with a leather and denim clad brigade who come to town on motorcycles of many colours and engine sizes.

This stop-off point for men, women and their machines has been firmly-established on the motorcyclists’ map for decades and this year, more than any other in recent times, they are providing a welcome boost for a local economy emerging from the coronavirus lockdown and attempting to make up for lost time and lost earnings.

Cafes, takeaways and shops are among those to benefit from the flow of business brought by riders who are seeking refreshment, before setting off on the next stage of a journey that takes many of them through the Dales and on to destinations on the East Coast.

Photograph of motorcyclists on the road in Nidderdale

Motorcyclists head out of Pateley Bridge and onto their next stop-off point

Nidderdale, with its combination of long, winding and steep stretches of road, was in the national and international spotlight when the Grand Depart of the Tour de France came to Yorkshire in July 2014.

It is a Mecca for travellers on two wheels – both pedal and petrol-powered, who are out in force on summer Sundays.

For friends Mike Haste, Alexander Kubansky and Keith Weston, who hail from West Yorkshire, Pateley Bridge is akin to a resting point on a pilgrim path that leads to the sea and home again, with return journeys often covering 200 miles plus.

Mike, whose 1700cc Harley Davidson is one of a limited edition model produced in 2013 to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the world-famous motorcycle maker, told The Stray Ferret:

“Every Sunday, if there’s blue in the sky, we are on our bikes and heading for Pateley Bridge – our first stop-off point.”

He added:

“Over the years you get to know the places that are biker-friendly and we share that information with other motorcyclists.”

Alexander, whose pride and joy is a 21-year-old Honda Valkyrie with a 1500cc engine, said:

“Pateley Bridge is a nice place to come to. We can park up safely, have a cup of tea or coffee and use the public toilets before heading off again.”

Keith, with his BMW K 1300 GT, started taking part in rides with his friends a few years ago and highly recommends it. He said:

“It’s a great way to enjoy a Sunday day out.”

With the Pateley Bridge stop off lasting between 15 and 30 minutes, riders who head for the road are soon replaced by the next group, providing a stead stream of customers, who come to rest awhile and take refreshment beside the River Nidd.

County council asks public to help win £1m cycling bid

North Yorkshire County Council is asking the public to help them win £1m of funding from the government to improve walking and cycling in the Harrogate district.

On NYCC’s website, people have until Friday to mark on a map where they think improvements could be made.

The authority is hoping to win a bid of up to £1,065,000 from the Department for Transport’s Emergency Active Travel Fund. The money will be spent on longer-term projects to “help deliver significant health, environmental and congestion benefits”.

In the first round of funding, the council was allocated £133,000 – half of what it was hoping for.

That money was to help councils put in place short-term solutions such as widening footpaths or the temporary closure of roads. The council said it would make up the other half of funding through its reserves.

Harrogate District Cycling Action told The Stray Ferret at the time that North Yorkshire’s plans “weren’t ambitious enough”.

Speaking about the council’s second bid for funding, Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at NYCC, said:

“The new facility we have added to our website to enable anyone to put forward ideas for improvements to cycling and walking provision anywhere in the county is further evidence of our commitment to active and sustainable travel.

“It will remain on our website as a tool to enable us to consider all suggestions from the public.

“If any suitable schemes are submitted immediately, it may be possible to look at those for this tranche of funding, but it is more likely that any schemes that are shown to be practical and appropriate could be considered for future funding opportunities.”

Extinction Rebellion to hold regular rallies in Harrogate

Today was the second rally held by Extinction Rebellion in Harrogate since lockdown – organisers say they want to make it a monthly event.

Around 70 cyclists turned up this morning at the town’s Library Gardens and looped the town centre to draw attention to the need for more sustainable travel.

It’s only 3 weeks since the group’s last rally in the centre of Harrogate. Organisers say they’d wanted to do another event quickly as many people had been unable to come on the last one.

The rally set off from the Library Gardens

Victoria Wild of Extinction Rebellion Harrogate told the Stray Ferret

“There was so much interest in the last one, people who had missed out wanted to come. Alot of people don’t feel safe on the roads as cyclists – particularly women and kids. We want to keep up the pressure to improve sustainable transport and it’s nice for everyone to get together on a rally”.

Last week, North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for highways Don Mackenzie, told The Stray Ferret that cycling groups should “remain realistic” around improvements to cycling routes in Harrogate.

The council received just half of the £266,000 that was allocated to them by government to spend on temporary cycling and walking measures to help people use sustainable transport post lockdown.

Parliament Street and Kings Road could be partly pedestrianised

Parliament Street and Kings Road in Harrogate could be partly pedestrianised to encourage social distancing when bars and restaurants reopen.

However, The Stray Ferret understands this is unlikely to be put in place this weekend.

North Yorkshire County Council said it is working with Harrogate BID, Harrogate Borough Council and local businesses to allocate pavement space to bars and restaurants, which would make part of the roads off-limits to cars.

David Bowe, corporate director for business and environmental services at NYCC, said they will only close roads “if there is a clear demand”.

He said:

“We are prepared to close roads in order to support economic recovery but it has to be on the basis of demand and need. If there is a road that we can practically close, even for part of a day, without adversely affecting access, we will be happy to work to achieve that, provided a business definitely wants to use the space.

James Street, Albert Street and parts of Royal Parade currently have cones placed in the road to widen pavements. However, they have been controversial and North Yorkshire County Council has taken them down on West Park after pressure from businesses.

Two streets that could be partly pedestrianised are Parliament Street and Kings Road.

Jim Mossman, co-founder of the Cold Bath Brewing Co on Kings Road, told The Stray Ferret he had been in discussions with North Yorkshire County Council about road space being re-allocated.

He said:

“If we can create an al fresco type experience in Harrogate then it will help save jobs and businesses in the town.”

Michael Baravelli, general manager at Gino D’Acampo on Parliament Street also said pedestrianisation would help trade at the restaurant.

He said:

“We are working alongside North Yorkshire County Council with the idea and suggestion of putting extra seating outside to give us more street presence. In these summer days, it will help us immensely.”

Cyclists groups must “remain realistic”, says NYCC

North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for highways Don Mackenzie says cycling groups must “remain realistic” around improvements to cycling routes in Harrogate.

His words come as the council received just half of the £266,000 that was allocated to them by government to spend on temporary cycling and walking measures. These include coning off some on-street parking bays to widen footpaths.

NYCC will be able to bid for a further £1.1m for larger cycling schemes later this summer but they have been criticised by cycling groups in Harrogate for showing a “lack of ambition” with its initial bid. They also said North Yorkshire did not consult them about the bid.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Cllr Mackenzie said the council is taking a long-term approach to cycle lanes.

He said:

“I’m sure we’ll get more cycle schemes in there. People will have to remain realistic. It costs a million pounds to build 1km of off-road cycle path. We’re only bidding £1.1m for the whole of the county.”

He also said that more road space in Harrogate could be allocated to cycling and walking through the positioning of bollards, which has proved controversial for businesses operating on James Street and West Park.

Whilst Cllr Mackenzie suggested that North Yorkshire received less funding for cycling because of its largely rural geography, other councils such as Suffolk, which also has a large rural population, received 100%. However, Cllr Mackenzie said this type of comparison is unfair.

He said:

“The nearest county to us is Lincolnshire and they got 50%. Suffolk got 100% but I don’t know what their bid was like.

“We’ve made many bids for cycling. We’re building an off-road cycle path on Otley Road, we’ve applied for the Transforming Cities Funding which involves a lot of improvements for cycling. Sometimes you get 100% and sometimes you don’t.

Yesterday, the Stray Ferret reported that 26 cyclists are injured in collisions in Harrogate a year.

Cllr Mackenzie added:

“Harrogate is very, very safe for cyclists but if you saw some of the comments on social media you’d think it was an absolute deathtrap.

26 cyclists a year injured in collisions in Harrogate

On average 26 cyclists a year are injured in collisions in Harrogate, analysis by the Stray Ferret has found.

As bicycle shops report record sales and commuters return to work after lockdown, the numbers give an indication of how safe it is to cycle in the town.

The UK-wide data goes back to 2005 and was published by not-for-profit organisation Cycle Streets. It includes details of every collision involving a cyclist where a police report was filed.

From 2014 to 2018, there were 128 reports of cyclists being injured with the majority involving a car. No cyclists were killed during the time period.

Skipton Road was the worst road in Harrogate for collisions involving cyclists, with 13 injuries over five years.

All the incidents in Harrogate from 2014-2018.

Caroline Linford from green group Sustainably Harrogate called the figures “alarming”.

She told the Stray Ferret that cycling in the town can feel dangerous.

She said:

“It’s easy to see why people are reluctant to cycle on Harrogate roads. Safety is a key concern.”

“Personally since Lockdown my whole family have been using bicycles as a form of exercise and to do doorstop visits with family across Harrogate. It’s become clear to me that there are some good pathways to cycle on and some very dangerous roads.

“When I’m on my bicycle I feel that pedestrians get irritated with cyclists on pavements as we travel faster than walkers and equally, car drivers often become irritated behind cyclists while on shared roads, particularly as we go a little slower as we have children with us.”

North Yorkshire County Council has responsibility for transport in Harrogate and Ms Linford called on the council to introduce so-called “Low Traffic Neighbourhoods” in Harrogate to protect cyclists from cars.

The concept is currently being trialled in Lambeth, London where cars are discouraged from entering certain roads with bollards.

North Yorkshire County Council said they have recently won a £31m bid for the government’s Transforming Cities Fund, which will be partly spent upgrading cycling and walking facilities in Harrogate.

Don Mackenzie, executive member for road safety at North Yorkshire County Council, told the Stray Ferret that the safety of cyclists is one of the council’s top road safety priorities.

He said:

“Contrary to some recent sensationalist contributions on social media, there have been no fatalities involving cyclists in Harrogate town in the last 14 years. Furthermore, in spite of substantial increases in the numbers of residents choosing to cycle, the overall number of accidents involving cyclists in the county has been reducing steadily.”

Extinction Rebellion plans cycling protest in Harrogate town centre

Extinction Rebellion’s Harrogate branch is planning a bike ride in the town centre to highlight the need for change as the coronavirus lockdown eases.

The group, which only formed in Harrogate in January, says its aim is to highlight the issues facing the town, under the title No Going Back.

The bike ride will set off from Library Gardens on Station Parade at 10.30am on Sunday and complete two laps of the town centre, finishing at the war memorial. Organisers have asked participants to ride in groups of no more than six from the same household, and keep their distance from others who are not in their family group.

Anyone not able to cycle is encouraged to show their support with banners, bells and whistles, and to take photographs of the event. Organiser Vicky Wild said:

“During lockdown, an awful lot more people are cycling and walking. We don’t want to go back to the way it was.

“I’m someone who goes to work and the ships on a bike. I’ve lost count of the number of people who say, ‘I would love to do that, but I don’t feel safe’.

“It’s just trying to change the conversation a bit around public transport in Harrogate. Personally, I have certain routes I go on that I know are fairly safe. For some people, there are certain roads you just don’t want to go on.

“When I was cycling round during the lockdown at the beginning, it was heaven – it was lovely. I went twice round the Prince of Wales roundabout just because I could, because there were no cars on it. I don’t think I’ve ever been round it before.”

With traffic already heading back towards pre-lockdown levels, the group is keen to draw people’s attention to how different things have been and urge them to consider what can be done to make long-term changes.

It is also holding an online meeting tonight to discuss setting up a citizens’ assembly for Harrogate. That body would be made up of members of the public, rather than political party representatives, to look at facts and make decisions about the future of the town.

The group had held one event – a stall on Cambridge Street highlighting climate change, pictured above – before the coronavirus lockdown put paid to its plans for the year. Now, members are looking at action they can take safely in the coming months. Vicky added:

“The idea of Extinction Rebellion is things should be fun and inclusive and family-friendly. We’re trying to do things that won’t alienate people but will get people on board and asking questions.”

Full details about the citizen’s assembly meeting and the bike ride can be found on the Extinction Rebellion Harrogate Facebook page.

County council reveals £1.3m plans to encourage walking and cycling

North Yorkshire County Council has revealed some of the plans it is considering to encourage more cycling and walking.

The government has allocated the council £1.3 million from its £225 million emergency active travel fund. The council can then bid for the full amount in two stages.

Initially, the council is bidding for £266,000 to spend on temporary measures such as coning off some on-street parking bays to widen footpaths.

Any projects funded in the first stage must be started within four weeks of the money being made available and completed within eight. It means that the council cannot tackle any major projects with that first pot of money.

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