AndyMorris said:Martyn Bolt replied most politly to my somewhat ranty post...
Andy also replied calmly to my post, Christmas cheer ? :-)
Quoted message said:
Before we go into too much detail about a route in West Yorks , perhaps I should ask is it o group
interest or perhaps Andy & I can discuss by email or over a pint.
Having said that the pub on the Greenway has put in a planning application for demolition &
house building!
At the other end links, or even signs to roads into Dewsbury would
Quoted message said:be useful. Signs at each 'junction' tell people how far it is to downtown Hecky, Dewsbury or
whatever would encourage people to stray off it and reclaim roads.
Signs have always been an issue, with Sustrans wanting their 'arty' feel, and I for one saying it
should treat cyclists as travellers and not ramblers.
Quoted message said:
I only returned to cycling last year and the greenway was a nice place to get used to my spd's,
build up a cadence and gain a bit of confidence. Also its nice to take my eldest kid and her
friends for a trip down to the canal and back.
Well it is achieving one objective, the Council produced a whole dossier on returning to cycling.
Quoted message said:On the other hand, as I ranted before it goes nowhere
at the moment.
and is full of peds
a victim of its own success?
Quoted message said:and dogs. The surface is dodgy in places (leaf mold, horse [censored] and gravel) and it has unnecessary
traffic calming bends in places.
Prior to converting to the Greenway it was a 'cycle path' built by W Yorkshire County , it had a
terrible problem with motor bikes and it was designed to prevent drag strips and break up the view,.
Quoted message said:
Its not wide enough to ride 2 abreast, which is a pity because that would be very sociable and nice
for families out with kids.
It is about 2.5 mtrs wide, so should be wide enough, except when you get peds etc. I still advocate
peds stepping off onto the verge to let cyclists pass, on a cycle route.
Quoted message said:It has no street lights or CCTV cameras on it. I think that would rule it out for a lot of
commuters in winter, it might even get a bit dim for school kids in the middle of winter. When its
quiet it really is a muggers paradise, If kids started using it to get to school it would only be a
matter of time until someone started 'jacking them.
Lights were ruled out by Sustrans as much of the NCN is on quiet roads and unlit, the cost was
tremendous, and Kirklees highways officers built a lit route in Huddersfield which suffered constant
vandalism of the lights.
The schools kick out about 3:15, so kids most kids can manage, also it was accepted that cycling
diminishes in winter.
Bit of a paradox here, if it spoils it for cyclists having peds on the route, do you want to
encourage more peds in the form of school kids etc?
If people stay away from it in winter, who are the muggers going to prey on, apart from the real
hard ones who go out in all weathers?
Quoted message said:
When it has junctions that link with roads (Whitechapel Road, Mount Street, Tofts Road etc) it does
it all wrong, it assumes users are pedestrians and that cyclists will carry on to ride on the
pavement.
I assume you are saying that on leaving the Greenway there is no on highway provision for cyclists,
fair point.
Quoted message said:
I may get people on bikes, but I worry that it furthers the belief that bikes do not belong on the
roads. It should be a road, for cyclists and horses and pedestrians, which can be used to get
places, learn the rules of the road and link with roads where cars are allowed.
Its a pity, because for a few percent of the value of the land it covers
it cost £1 I think, it was bought from the receivers of the ill fated transport museum in Bradford.
Quoted message said:could an awful lot better. If it got half the traffic from Hecky grammer there would be a lot less
4by4's clogging up Market Street.
ADVERT TIME Next Public Cycling Forum March 8th, Dewsbury
The Greenway also has Sustrans rangers and friends who have regular meetings.
Have you looked at the Ringway Andy, on the other side of the valley.
Again at present it goes only from Heckmondwike town centre to Rawfolds, (Park & Baths).?
