A bit of a do for Beryl Burton

I've just got back from the Nidd Gorge end of the Beryl Burton Cyleway after the re-opening ceremony. We lugged my old petrol stove over and made everyone a cup of tea and forced mince pies down them. It seemed like the least we could do if they were going to stand on the chilly, shady side of the river and listen to some middle-aged blogger rambling on. It was for my money "a good do" and best of all we got to honour Beryl Burton's memory in the presence of her family.

Charle and Denise

I managed to mutter a few words and thank all those people who helped secure the funding to get the re-surface done. If I missed you out I'm sorry. I also talked about how I think Beryl Burton doesn't get the recognition she deserves in her former  home towns of Harrogate and Knaresborough. I hope today went a small way to righting that wrong. Then my boys held a ribbon and Charlie Burton and Denise Burton-Cole our guests of honour and as it turns out really nice people, cut a ribbon. All a bit old school I know, but I think Charlie was really touched and he was holding back a tear.

Many thanks to everyone who turned out on a pretty chilly afternoon. Some of you I didn't know but here is a roll call of those people I knew or those who I met down by the riverbank. It was great to put names to faces, thank you for all being kind but it was really about all of you, I just started the ball rolling.

Councillor Anne Jones was there she championed this thank you. Andy Grinter from Knaresborough chamber made himself known. I was hoping for a longer chat as he has some legacy ideas I want to try and help with but I'm sure there is time.

Wheel Easy where there in spades, two Margolises and a brace of Weeks amongst maybe a dozen others who I don't know. They have done more than there share for cycling in Harrogate good on 'em. County Councillor Richard Cooper who punched above his weight on this one, said hello and we found more common ground than I expected, which is a real positive and bodes well.

James Skaith was there with his PCSO hat on with a colleague. They continue to be supporters of cycling in our town and good on them for that.

 Andrew Jones,  Denise Burton-Cole, Councillor Annen Jones, Charlie Burton, Dave Prince

Andrew Jones MP rushed over from another appointment in Knaresborough and we had a good natter, he is increasingly supportive of cycling and that can only be good news. Thanks to him for is public support on this one, life gets easier when your MP is helping.

Then I got chatting to Denise, turns out they lived in Starbeck for a bit when Beryl was still around. Now I'm thinking when the tour is here and we have the word's media at our disposal for 48 hours. Perhaps Starbeck should take the opportunity to honour one of the finest cyclists this country has ever seen. Let me have a think. Oh and Denise knows Phil Liggettt quite well which won't hurt.

All in all a grand day out. I like a good news story they are a lot more fun to write than than the whingy ones I sometimes churn out.

So well done Harrogate and Knaresborough you did right by Beryl Burton and her family today and my boys got a nice smooth cycleway that they rode on from their house, all of this I like.

Denise and Charlie with PCSO James Skaith

This is not just any cock-up this is an NYCC and Marks and Spencer's cock-up

I really didn't want to write this post, lots of good stuff is happening for bikey types in Harrogate at the moment, I was worried I would jeopardise some of it. I left it alone for a good six months, but quiet, polite behind the scenes lobbying has got us virtually nowhere. Then I was worried if I did nothing someone would get hurt or even killed and what if i had done nothing? So I'm sorry here goes, I'm going in.

Here is the thing.  Marks and Spencers (they sell posh food in boxes and nice pants) are having a food hall at the Corner of Leeds Road and Hookstone Road, its is being built now. Well that's good I can get my dine in for a tenner deal without going into town, I think the fish choices have gone off a bit recently but I digress.

Our beloved highways department at North Yorkshire County Council are re-modelling the junction as part of this whole shebang. Now when the plans came out there was no provision for bikes at this very busy junction. Not one thing, nothing, zip, nada. Well a great deal of lobbying by Harrogate Cycle Action has got  Advanced Stop Lanes in the design on the Leadhill lane side of the junction. The story from NYCC now is that they can't put these anywhere else as there, "...simply isn't room."

Well it looks like there is some new'ish guidance from the Department of Transport that suggests NYCC are "simply wrong." That these lines which let cyclists get ahead of traffic and so make everyone's lives easier and bikes riders a little safer, can indeed be fitted in even if the roads are too narrow. Anyway have you seen the junction, its wide like the Champs Elysee, you need a telescope to see the other side?

So why are NYCC taking this bizarre course of action? Even after the Prime Minister  David Cameron said in August.

Councils and the Highways Agency will be expected to "up their game", making sure cycling is taken into account from the design stage on trunk road and traffic schemes like road widening and junction improvements.

Well I don't know, I'm baffled but I have written to Tim Coyne the officer at NYCC  who's bag this is. Lets see what he has to say. For my money there appears to be no good reason why NYCC can't fit Advanced Stop Lines in at this junction. Even the Prime Minister wants it to happen but at the moment because of inertia and dogma it won't happen, shame on you NYCC.

And Mark and Spencers the company that gave us plan A (because there is no plan B) that is apparently trying hard to reduce its carbon footprint and be more sustainable. They are inadvertently preventing people taking sustainable transport choices by helping make this junction more bike unfriendly (there will be more traffic lanes after the remodel). HCA lobbied Marks and Spencers about this and they said they had fully complied with the planning process. I'm sure that's true, but come on Marks and Spencers you have to walk the walk, as well as talk it. Remember the, "There is no plan B." bit?

So this isn't just any cockup. Oh no this is a Marks and Spencer's and NYCC cockup.

Update 25/11/2013

I have just been reliably informed that NYCC are now reviewing their decision about Advanced Stop Lanes on Leeds Road, lets hope they see sense and do the right thing. Hopefully I will have more for you soon.

Your Invited

It seems important to celebrate the Beryl Burton's recent resurfacing with a bit of a fanfare. So on the Saturday the 30th of November at 2pm by the start of the cycle way at the Knaresborough end, you know, the bit down by the river. We will be having a bit of a thing. Denise and Charlie, Beryl's Daughter and Husband are coming along as guests of honour, you are invited too. Andrew Jones MP is on the guest list along with a few other councillors as yet TBA and I will be getting along as much press as possible.

Lets turn out to show the District we value this stuff, more importantly lets turn out to honour the greatest cyclist this country has ever produced. That's quite a claim in light of a few we have had recently, but in Beryl Burton's case its no idle boast.

Anyway if you wanted to join us, that would be great and then I reckon a beer in the Half Moon might be appropriate.

Movember

Personally I draw the line at growing a moustache even for a noble cause, but raising awareness about men's health seems fairly important. It's November and many people will be growing a months worth of upper lip fluff on their face to raise awareness  of a subject that sometimes gets ignored. Good on them for being less (or more?) vain than me.

Cycle Harrogate will have to make do with pointing you people with fluffy faces (or not) at this excellent video from public health evangelist Dr Mike Evans and one of the guys behind the Movember cult Adam Goreny. If you have five minutes watch it, you may as a result live longer and feel better whilst your doing it.  Please don't suggest I am ignoring Movember because I am chicken. I am just well, you know staying shaved.

A bit more legacy

This from Councillor Don Mackenzie

A positive step taken at the last (ordinary) meeting of Harrogate Borough Council on 2nd October, members did give unanimous support to a Notice of Motion, brought by Caroline Bayliss and me, to allocate some £17,000 of this year's unused Community Chest funding, and more from next year's if needed, to community schemes celebrating the TdF event in our district next July. The emphasis is on supporting schemes which leave a (cycling) legacy long after the race itself has ended.