Earlier this year I caught the train from Pitlochry and cycled home via Drumochter. I was appalled at the poor condition of the cycle route and it was clear to me that since the route was built about seven years ago no maintenance of any sort had taken place. As some of you may know I was a Volunteer ranger for the route but resigned in 2002 out a frustration and the lack of co-operation of the authorities involved. I had thought after my ride earlier this year that a might try again to get something done about the route in order to save it from complete dereliction.
Then Badeguish Outdoor Centre proposed holding a mass participation cycling event that was to use the Drumochter Route and somehow I got involved. My idea was that that holding this even could be a catalyst/ lever to get things done. The route has recently been ridden again and a report produced detailing the problems and possible solutions. This report can be seen on our website by going to http://www.highlandhostel.co.uk and clicking the sidebar marked 'Drumochter Cycle Route. The report can also be downloaded from there as a PDF document.
I will be attending a meeting in early August with Alan Jones from Badeguish together with authorities involved and the hope is that at last something can be done to maintain and repair the route.
Thanks for the report (and longer one on the web site). Unfortunately it means I'm even less inclined to ride that than I was before :-(
Folk do need continual kicking that there is more to "cycle routes" than putting something (anything!) in place and then announcing it, and assuming it will be okay and stay that way.
Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
I will be attending a meeting in early August with Alan Jones from Badeguish together with authorities involved and the hope is that at last something can be done to maintain and repair the route.
This is another example of how lip service gets paid to ecouraging cycling but when it comes to spending mony forget it. Your description matches exactly my memory of this cycle path from my E2E some 5 years ago.
As you point out if this path deteriorates to the point where it is unusable it is likely to result in a cyclist or cyclists being kiled by having to use the adjacent A9. As a 70mph dual carriageway with traffic speeds often at 80 or 90 mph I would not cycle on that part of the A9. This means no safe route north fo a cyclist between Glen Shee and the Great Glen if this path becomes unusable.
Interestingly all the mini catle grids were block when I rode the route as well although I did unblock the ones which were merel blocked by having a gate tied closed
Is there an chance the new Scottish Government might take a different attitude to this sort of issue? After all surely a vital link like this which is also a safety issue due to the nature of the road alternative must get some kind of priority.
I doubt it. The SNP are really only interested in motorists, despite claims to the contrary.
Can you point to any evidence of that. Despite much of the disgraceful biased stories in the media before 3rd May the sky has not yet fallen in now that we have an SNP government in Scotland. I'm prepared to give them the benifit of the doubt meantime and judge them by their deeds.
I'm not hugely imressed by anything the last Labour governments in Edinburgh have done for cycling these last few years.
Earlier this year I caught the train from Pitlochry and cycled home via Drumochter. I was appalled at the poor condition of the cycle route and it was clear to me that since the route was built about seven years ago no maintenance of any sort had taken place. As some of you may know I was a Volunteer ranger for the route but resigned in 2002 out a frustration and the lack of co-operation of the authorities involved. I had thought after my ride earlier this year that a might try again to get something done about the route in order to save it from complete dereliction.
Then Badeguish Outdoor Centre proposed holding a mass participation cycling event that was to use the Drumochter Route and somehow I got involved. My idea was that that holding this even could be a catalyst/ lever to get things done. The route has recently been ridden again and a report produced detailing the problems and possible solutions. This report can be seen on our website by going tohttp://www.highlandhostel.co.uk and clicking the sidebar marked 'Drumochter Cycle Route. The report can also be downloaded from there as a PDF document.
I will be attending a meeting in early August with Alan Jones from Badeguish together with authorities involved and the hope is that at last something can be done to maintain and repair the route.
Sorry but I don't agree that the A9 is a dangerous road to cycle. Traffic volumes are light and there is not much dual carriageway.
I have never seen a bike on the adjacent cycle path when driving up and down the A9. If I were to cycle the route I would in any case be happy to use the road.
"raisethe" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Sorry but I don't agree that the A9 is a dangerous road to cycle. Traffic volumes are light and there is not much dual carriageway.
I have never seen a bike on the adjacent cycle path when driving up and down the A9. If I were to cycle the route I would in any case be happy to use the road.
I ride every day on a trunk road, but I wouldn't choose to ride on the A9. IME it's either busy or has very fast traffic on it (or both...) - it's a well engineered road, which means driving quickly on it is easy.
"raisethe" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Sorry but I don't agree that the A9 is a dangerous road to cycle. Traffic volumes are light and there is not much dual carriageway.
I have never seen a bike on the adjacent cycle path when driving up and down the A9. If I were to cycle the route I would in any case be happy to use the road.
I ride every day on a trunk road, but I wouldn't choose to ride on the A9. IME it's either busy or has very fast traffic on it (or both...) - it's a well engineered road, which means driving quickly on it is easy.
I ride daily on a trunkish road (A4174), I am beginning to feel safer on that road, than on some of the smaller roads I also ride on. Having cagers drive head on at you on smaller roads is not very nice.
Sorry but I don't agree that the A9 is a dangerous road to cycle.
Well opinions can differ.
Quoted message said:
Traffic volumes are light and there is not much dual carriageway.
The point is that most of the uphill section approaching Drumochter summit from the south is fast dual carriageway. Traffic speeds uphill here are 80 mph or faster for cars and light goods vehicles. I've never seen a cycle on the road here. Drivers do not expext to see them. Mixing 10 mph cycles with 80 mph traffic is not sensible. That's why cycles are not allowed on motorways. Cycling on the hard shoulder of a motorway would in fact be far safer than cycling on this dual carriageaway section of the A9
Quoted message said:
I have never seen a bike on the adjacent cycle path when driving up and down the A9.
Maybe there would be more if the path was improved.
If I were to cycle the route I would in any case be
Attended a meeting yesterday with various people who may (or may not) get something done. Most important was a man from Transerve (The Trunk Roads Authority) who not only admitted that the Drumochter Cycle Track was their responsibility but that there was a budget for fixing it, We shall see, my cynical self thinks there is a big gap between promises of action and the action that may or may not follow. I will keep you all posted if anything happens. I simply do not buy this line from Transerve that they, 'suddenly noticed' a clause in the contact that requires them to look after the cycle route. More like the prodding from others and myself has helped them 'suddenly notice' this clause. Our local MSP Fergus Ewing has also asked to be kept informed, he has always been very helpful in the past.
"Pete-the -Bike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Attended a meeting yesterday with various people who may (or may not) get something done. Most important was a man from Transerve (The Trunk Roads Authority) who not only admitted that the Drumochter Cycle Track was their responsibility but that there was a budget for fixing it, We shall see, my cynical self thinks there is a big gap between promises of action and the action that may or may not follow. I will keep you all posted if anything happens. I simply do not buy this line from Transerve that they, 'suddenly noticed' a clause in the contact that requires them to look after the cycle route. More like the prodding from others and myself has helped them 'suddenly notice' this clause. Our local MSP Fergus Ewing has also asked to be kept informed, he has always been very helpful in the past.
Suspect I've missed a few posts, its a dire section isn't it.
