Tell North Yorkshire County Council to stop being rubbish on Cycling they don't need to be

I need your help (again). North Yorkshire County Council are consulting on their local transport plan (LTP). This sets the blueprint for how transport strategy unfolds over the next 5 years.

At the moment when it comes to cycling they are arguing there is no money so they can't do much, this is simply not true, here is what they say in the draft LTP document...

What will we deliver?
We will seek to find funding so that we can appoint a Sustainable Travel Officer to provide expertise and information about how developers, employers and communities can plan and coordinate healthier and sustainable travel needs and opportunities within new developments and existing communities.
We will also seek and apply for any available funding to support healthy and active travel whether by us directly, in partnership with other agencies or authorities or by bringing opportunities to the attention of those who are eligible to apply.
We will incorporate appropriate additional training for our planning staff and highways engineers to enable them to understand how they can make small adjustments to new scheme designs and within routine maintenance that will help people to be able to walk or cycle more easily and safely.
The current financial climate and competing demands on the network mean that we are not in a position to plan and install hundreds of miles of off road cycleways or footpaths to satisfy commuters, leisure and sports riders throughout the county area. However, we are keen to support and provide for walkers and cyclists where we can. When funding can be found, we will prioritise our efforts to those places and uses where there is evidence of an existing or emerging cause for concern, where large events have triggered a significant increase in cyclists using a route e.g. Tour de Yorkshire, where new event routes are being proposed, and where existing facilities and routes can be connected through small additional elements
We will continue to take account of pedestrian and cyclists needs in maintenance and in new road schemes and within our planning considerations for new developments.
An elected member who will act as a Champion and advocate for the needs and potential of walking and cycling across council activity in policy and in service planning and delivery. 

So in summary "we might do a bit if we can" that is not good enough, it will not bring about the necessary infrastructure changes the cyclists of Harrogate need and it won't fix Skipton Road. There are a few reasons why this crushing lack of ambition is not only a cop out but actively unhelpful.

Sustrans the cycling charity have a really strong track record of working with local government to unlock funding from government.  North Yorkshire County Council refuse to work with them currently despite Sustrans being keen.

Harrogate Borough Council have a partially funded Cycling Delivery plan for Harrogate that NYCC would need to deliver, there is no mention of them seeking to deliver this.

The Government infrastructure bill of last year committed to a  budget for cycling and walking and there is now a minister for sustainable transport Robert Goodwill. We await funding details but money will be spent where there is clear ambition from local government to make changes. Saying "we might do a bit" is not going to unlock funding.

The Help I need.

This Document is under consultation and your views have to be taken account of. It takes less than five minutes.

you can find the consultation on the LTP here

In the box where you can comment, please feel free to copy and paste something along these lines...

I call on NYCC to spend £10 per head, per annum on cycle infrastructure in the urban areas of the County.  Section 3K does not meet your obligations to reduce car use where possible and will not reduce congestion. Further I call on North Yorkshire County Council to work jointly with Harrogate Borough Council to commit to fully implement the Harrogate Cycling Delivery Plan over the life of the LTP.

If you could do that we might make a difference.

Oh and Don Mackenzie is the executive member for transport you can get him here cllr.don.mackenzie@northyorks.gov.uk.

Harrogate Year One Post Tour De France

The Tour is Heading for France a year after it graced our Town. Chris Froome looked good as he eased into yellow yesterday something that never really happened last year. Early days though and a long way to Paris.

This year we had to make do with a Big Bike Bash and a grand day out it was. Lots of bikes, beer and a chance to ride the finish of the Tour as a family this was great. It was largely the work of Richard Cooper, HBC council Leader and I congratulated him. Anything that keeps riding bikes in Harrogate on the agenda and keeps memories of the Tour alive is good with me.

We rode up from Starbeck as a family. Actually two families, some friends joined us. The route we took was tortuous so as to avoid the Knaresborough Road. With a six year old its a no go really even if you are heading to a bike event where some roads are closed. We took the cycle paths across the Stray pausing only to try and get across Wetherby Road by the Hospital. There was supposed to be a Toucan (bike Pelican ) crossing here it was funded and everything but Richard Cooper got it stopped.

It is really dodgy as a crossing to be honest. I ended up wheeling out into the road and hoping the cars would stop rather than hit me, they did but I got a few looks. At least the kids got over safely.

Towards the end of the Stray the cycleways finish. We continued on the Stray on footpaths because well, 300 yards on the Main Road would have been bonkers with the kids. Then we ended up on pavements for the last 100 metres until we got to the road closures. It just seemed better than trying to protect a six year old in 3 lanes of traffic.

More folk are definitely on their bikes post Tour in town, often on our car centric road network. I guess these are the brave, the competent, road warriors like myself. What about those that might but dare not? I have been working with lots of those recently people who want to ride a bike but simply are too scared so they get back in their cars.

I don't see why all the paths on the Stray can't be shared use. The ones we have work well. Recently almost a year to the day after the Tour came Harrogate Borough Council have painted NO CYCLING signs on the paths that are pedestrian only. Lots of people seem miffed I wonder if as many are delighted?

I will probably ignore these No Cycling instructions. As I ignored the ones that used to be on what are now the Stray shared use Cycleways. I will I'm sure ignore the signs when I think it is safer than riding the roads. Especially when I have the kids in tow. I will ride carefully, I will be polite to pedestrians and I will ride pretty slowly, but I will ride. I may get fined, I might even get arrested. The publicity would be great to be honest. I wonder if lots of other people though will heed the signs and think, well I can't ride the roads you know what, sod it I will get in the car down to Montepelier it is less faff.

If my Council can't work in everyone's best interest when it has money to spend. How can I believe that it is actually interested in making this town one where riding bikes is a sensible choice. Everyone is rightly worried about the (car) traffic in town but unless we can help people to make choices other than taking the car the traffic will not go away. I drive a car, I want quiet roads too, but there is no traffic control fairy.

We have a Sustainable transport Champion in Rebecca Burnett I like Rebecca but she seems to think defending the status quo is more important than actively getting more people on their bikes. I disagree, no surprise there.

Whilst I like Richard and Rebecca and think they are good people. I am worried that the innate conservation (small c) of Harrogate means they are too scared to do all they could to make this an even nicer town to ride around and that is a tragedy. All I have to offer as a contrary view is my whinging and my occasional middle class mild dissent. I doubt that will be enough.

If cycling provision affects your vote. Here is what the candidates say.

Harrogate Cycle Action asked local parliamentary candidates what they thought about cycling and development going forward here is what those that responded said....

Harrogate Cycle Action(HCA) have asked all 5 candidates their parties and their personal position on Sustainable Transport and, in particular Cycling, prior to the forthcoming General Election on May 7th.
We asked all the candidates the following 2 questions:-

1. What is your parties policy with regard to the expansion and development of sustainable transport to reduce traffic congestion and, in particular, their plans to develop and promote the cycling infrastructure and cycling in general as an alternative mode of transport?

2. If elected in the Harrogate and Knaresborough Constituency as MP what will you do to ensure the development of Sustainable Transport alternatives within the District and also to develop the Cycling Infrastructure, both as an alternative means of commuting/travel and as a tourist attraction?

4 of the candidates have responded and their responses are listed below for your information and, hopefully, to help you make your decision on who to vote for. HCA are not recommending any particular candidate but thought the information on this particular topic would be something you would find interesting.

The responses are listed in the order they were received.

Kevin Douglas (Chair)
HCA

SHAN OAKES (GREEN PARTY)

You won't be surprised to hear that we are committed to excellent

sustainable transport in all its forms! We want a culture change which will

prioritise bikes (including electric bikes) alongside public transport above

private cars. I believe in creating jobs in coordinating transport options

such as carsharing, car clubs, and much more responsive bus services which

are not run by competing private firms with little oversight by local

government. I attended the local Cycle Delivery Plan Launch recently in

Starbeck and was impressed with progress, but there is much more we could do

to reduce congestion locally. Regarding tourism, yes, loads of potential

to offer and advertise more to attract tourists to cycle here. We must

build on the amazing success of Le Tour. Sustainable tourism is and should

be a major player in the economy of this area, and as a tourism provider (a

self-catering bike-friendly eco-house in York) I offer training for Visit

York and also push for sustainable tourism through the regional tourism body

(Welcome to Yorkshire). If there isn't already a specific cycling promotion

group in W2Y, I would aim to get one established – likewise for Harrogate

District

HELEN FLYNN (LIBERAL DEMOCRAT)

QUESTION 1

My colleague, Julian Huppert MP, co-chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cycling. They have made great strides on cycling, including publishing this report https://allpartycycling.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/get-britain-cycling1.pdf. My party is in support of all these recommendations. The Lib Dems have always been a green party and have promoted sustainable transport for years. I am particularly in favour of ensuring that a portion of the Department for Transport’s annual budget is dedicated to building cycle infrastructure and revenue support for behaviour change. Up till now, funding for cycling has come about through various pots of funding, meaning that it has been impossible to plan strategically and long term for how to get more people cycling across the UK.

Question 2

I have already been very active in trying to develop sustainable transport in the district. Two examples below

1. I chair a Government-funded, community-led transport initiative called the Dales Integrated Transport Alliance (DITA)(www.dalesconnect.net). We have been running for four years. In that time we have tried many initiatives and funded various schemes, but I would just want to highlight here the "One Way £1" bus fare for under-19s that has paved the way for the policy initiative in the Lib Dem manifesto which is a national scheme for 2/3 off adult bus fares for all under-21 year olds. (It was my own efforts on the Lib Dem Federal Policy Committee that got this in as a manifesto priority.) We had great success with the One way £1 initiative, getting an increase in patronage of 50%. Not only does this mean that young people were only paying £1, but it incentivises bus networks to grow—something we desperately need, especially here!

DITA also part-funded the feasibility study for the extension of the Nidderdale Greenway to Pateley Bridge. And has funded many other cycling and walking initiatives across the Dales and AONB.

2. I am a local Harrogate Borough councillor. Last year out of sheer desperation that nothing was happening to secure a proper and lasting legacy for the Tour de France, I devised a scheme with Sustrans to launch a crowd-funding initiative to see if we could raise the funds-- by appealing to the Harrogate public and cyclists (in particular)-- to create a blueprint for how we could make Harrogate into a cycle town. I arranged a fee of £15,000 for Sustrans to do this work. I still hope this amount can be achieved as I believe that establishing an overall strategic plan of how you build safe cycling routes is the essential first step, if we want to be serious about becoming a cycle town. Sustrans funded a trip for me to visit Velsen in the Netherlands last summer, and there I really could see how it is more than possible to achieve this here. And would it not be fantastic if we could get school children cycling to school every day and people doing routine trips to work and the shops by bike?! It is still my vision and will continue to work for it here.

ANDREW JONES (CONSERVATIVE)

QUESTION 1

If we are to tackle the congestion caused by internal journeys we must look

to improving public transport and cycling infrastructure. There have been a

lot of improvements to local rail services and there are more on the way. I

think however we can make the most significant difference with cycling.

However cyclists, particularly new cyclists, need to feel safe. That is why

I support the plans Harrogate Cycle Action has developed in partnership with

Harrogate Borough Council which will help complete the local cycling

network. There appears to have been a sea-change in the council's attitude

to cycling under the new leadership and the plans which have been drawn up

are ambitious. I was pleased to see the council allocating funding to start

delivering them. This, alongside the new appointment of a cabinet member

for sustainable transport, will ensure that progress continues to be made.

In Government I supported the Infrastructure Act which commits the next

Government to developing a Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy which

will include funding to deliver the strategy's objectives. As our local

council bids to form a partnership with Government to deliver the local

ambitions it has my full support.

In Government my party has raised the annual level of spending on cycling

from £2 to £6 and has committed to raising it to £10 by 2020/21. This will

help achieve the ambition to double the number of trips made each year by

bike.

QUESTION 2

I will continue to support Harrogate Cycle Action and Harrogate Borough

Council in the fantastic work you are doing together. I will also support

the council's bid to form a partnership with Government as part of the

Cycling and Walking Delivery Plan.

It is important to get as much local support as possible for the planned

infrastructure improvements so I would be pleased to help generate interest

from local businesses and potential funding partners such as the Local

Enterprise Partnerships to ensure maximum benefit.

Local businesses also have a lot to contribute because they can make sure

they have the right conditions and incentives so their employees choose

cycling or other modes of sustainable transport rather than the car. Some

employers are very good at this but others may need more support and I would

be keen to explore this further with the local council.

The push needs to be towards getting more people cycling to work and to

school. We should also be looking at doing more to promote 'leave the car at

home' days - perhaps coinciding with increased public transport services and

trials of park-and-ride services so people can see the true value of

travelling sustainably. The latest I've heard from the council is that they

plan to run a scheme of sustainable transport awards for local businesses

which make a significant contribution in this area. I am sure more

information will be available in due course.

But these initiatives should not be one-off gimmicks for political gain,

they should be with a view to mainstreaming sustainable transport so it

becomes a real option for people.

DAVID SIMISTER(UKIP)

I'm very supportive of promoting cycling in the Harrogate District. It's a great recreational activity and the extension of off-road cycle routes is to be actively promoted.

SIAN WILLIAMS (LABOUR)

No response received. If one is forthcoming this information will be updated and re-circulated.

What do you think? Some thoughts on The Harrogate Cycling Delivery Plan

I went to the launch of Harrogate's Cycle Delivery plan at Veloheads last Tuesday. It was well attended by a range of people, many of them would have considered themselves cyclists, not something I do myself, I ride a bike a bit, I digress.

The plan, you can find details here is about a dedicated cycle route between Harrogate and Knaresborough and a  range of other cycling infrastructure improvement that could happen over the next five to ten years to make it easier to ride your bike round our towns. We have relatively low rates of bike use compared to some other towns who have invested. There may well be central government grants for towns and cities that have plans in place (watch this space).

At the weekend I  got into a conversation with a guy on twitter, Harrogate's cycling champion Rebecca Burnett and Helen Flynn (prospective parliamentary candidate for the Lib Dems and hardworking cycling tub thumper). The guy seemed mildly miffed that there hadn't been more consultation over the proposals/plan although part of the launch at Veloheads was designed to get  people's views on the plan.

What came up via the chat was that Harrogate's bike clubs Nova and Cappucino  hadn't been consulted and that is a fair point, some thoughts.

I think myself and Carl at Veloheads could have done more to get people along to the launch, but I was just getting my teeth into a new job and Carl is relatively new to the Harrogate Cycling scene. I did what I could, so spoke to the Advertiser and Stray FM, blogged and tweeted about it, but I don't have contacts with the cycling clubs. I don't ride a bike for fun, merely to get to work. Rebecca oddly for one so young doesn't really do social media, perhaps she should do more? I am not sure anyone was hiding any of this process, at least I wasn't.

I am however worried  that this plan represents the views and inputs of the Harrogate Cyclists that get actively involved in lobbying for more cycle infrastructure. So that is me, Dave Prince (well known middle aged bikey whinge bag and soft green tosser), Harrogate Cycle Action (a mainly older group of people have been involved with local infrastructure development for a good while, many of the members ride with the Wheel Easy Club). Veloheads (Carl Nelson social business entrepreneur, bike workshop owner, he did little more than host the launch), The Harrogate Cycle Forum run by the Borough Council under the umbrella of Sports Development Harrogate, Rebecca sits on it, anyone can, I don't, I go bouldering or running instead.

I know there are other groups of bike riders out there who may have different agenda and I think you should be heard. I think this plan is great, I had some input into it. I have lobbied for a better route from Harrogate to Knaresborough for nearly three years, It's not though my work. Harrogate Council put it together via their transport planner. If we are going to spend yours and my tax making it happen I would rather your felt involved and that you were not ambivalent or even hostile toward it.

It's not my gig, I am not a Tory (Somewhere to the left of Dennis Skinner on taxation somewhere to the right of Jeremy Clarkson on personal freedom. for what it is worth) but I am prepared to work with our elected councillors and their officers now they appear to be taking sustainable transport more seriously in Harrogate. To defend them when I think it is warranted and to actively and publicly slag them when not. Ask around most people have experienced both sides of the coin.

If people want to let their views be known or have a conversation about the plan, the person to talk to is Rebecca Burnett. If you wanted to get involved with shaping and moulding how this plan is delivered, evolves and changes to represent the views of more bikey types in Harrogate and Knaresborough that can only be healthy. You could do worse than get involved with the Harrogate Cycle Forum via the excellent Jo Armstrong and or keep engaging via twitter.

 I would like to clarify though, that I am merely a self appointed, middle aged tosser, who does this for love, doesn't vote Tory, Isn't really actively lobbying any more and has been known to tell it as I see it. Sometimes this works, sometimes it does not. I have opinions and some skill with social media, everything else is just smoke and mirrors.

Harrogate Cycle Delivery Plan Launch - Come see the paradise

What if I and others lobbied for an integrated plan for cycling infrastructure development in Harrogate and Knaresborough and decent provision for bikey types on the Knaresborough Road and then it came to pass?

Well it is about too get a damn site more likely with the launch of the Harrogate Cycling Delivery Plan.

If you are bothered about this stuff you can come along get an insight into the detail, ask questions, comment, and talk to your Cabinet Member for Sustainability Rebecca Burnet. All this at the mighty Veloheads. For there is to be a launch of the afore mentioned visionary initiative. I hope to see as many of you as possible there. I will be the one with the two tired children, who have been bribed with sweets and want to go home.

This from Rebbeca.

Date: Tuesday 24 March
Time: 4pm to 6pm
Venue: Veloheads, Provincial Works, off The Avenue, Starbeck, HG1 4QE.

As you will know I have been working with members of the cycling community, including Sustrans and North Yorkshire County Council, through the Harrogate Cycle Forum.
We have been drawing up plans for infrastructure improvements to complete the cycle network in Harrogate, including a flagship scheme to provide a direct and separated cycleway between Harrogate and Knaresborough. It has been a community-led process, with local cyclists making the suggestions for where the improvements are needed.
We have prepared an event for Councillors and members of the public to come and see the plans for what we have been working on, make comments, suggestions and ask questions. I hope that you will be able to attend.

here is a map

Bike lights, big city

I seem to be working in Leeds as a bike evangelist, come bicycle grease monkey. This has come as a bit of a surprise. I know applied for the job and everything, but the scale of the ambition here is quite something. Compared to the head banging I felt I was having to do for trying to do the same thing in Harrogate. It used to be hard to even get a hearing when I talked about utility cycling. More on the positive changes in that later in this post.

After three years spent smelling of gripfill and silicone sealant my hands now have the tell tale fading tattoo of road grime removed with too little degreaser and somebody who needs to remember to wear gloves before I start.

The Leeds Universities are part of a project called Utravelactive Sustrans were the instigators but I'm working for Leeds Beckett, the hospitals are involved too. They  run two workshops one at the Headingley Campus and a shared one with Leeds University in central Leeds. Bikes are hired out to students, 400 plus across both institutions. I help make that system work as well as repairing them and also helping anybody who walks in off the streets with problems with their own bikes. It gets pretty busy on a Wednesday afternoon with a mix of those in need of some targeted help, (you will know them by their orange chains), and the able bike nerds who are glad of a stand and some tools and just get on with it.

There is a cycling festival this week on both campuses the usual stuff: some films, some silly bikes and trying to get people to change their behaviour one or more days a week and leave the car at home. Or at least do part of their journey by methods other than the car. That in exchange for some shiny plastic or non ferrous metal object of their choice.

I forgot to mention the facilities on site here. My bike is in a secure undercover storage bike park. I have a locker and showers within a minutes walk of my office.  This stuff is everywhere and judging by the recognisable detritus of the commuter cyclist, it is being used by many.

Non cycling staff here are offered a sort of "gateway drug" into the world of cycling; a free five weeks loan of a bike with even the hard stuff in the form of a Brompton on offer for those with refined  tastes. The whole package too, lights, lock, helmet and pannier. There are as few barriers to just getting on with it as possible. Better yet they get followed up weekly and helped if the wheels come off. So after 5 weeks they convert 80% of people onto the cycle to work scheme, this is a good thing.

There is a lunchtime walking club run as it happens by a mate of mine who works for the well being department who is trying to get people moving too. The activity agenda is being attacked as well, there is talk of some collaboration going forward, we shall see.

The flaw and massive cosmic irony with all this is that muggins here is driving to Leeds three days a week as the trains don't really connect, even though I live a 5 minute walk from a station. At least I am dumping my car by the ring road and cycling in to the centre as I beat the cars and buses easy in rush hour, but If you want to do this kind of thing for a living you have to go where the people are I suppose. I need to do better, I will do better.

What of the Harrogate scene? Well I think things might just be starting to gather some useful momentum. Over at Veloheads Carl Nelson is slowly taking over the world one service at a time. I went round for a chat on Friday. Carl was good enough to vouch for me on the strength of two cups of tea and a sniff round this blog. So I reckon I owe him a favour or two. Anyway his bike shed had some really nice bikes which I drooled over. Including a fairly special Colnago the like of which I hadn't seen before. All was quiet efficiency as the bikes where bought back to top performance. If you want a simple service or something more high end go and see him, the prices are good and him and his people know their stuff.

In infrastructure news the talk of a dedicated separated Cycle superhighway between Harrogate and Knaresborough seems to be firming up. It is early days but it does look like Rebecca Burnett and Harrogate Borough Council are starting to take cycling more seriously and good on them. This would be a big project and something I have argued for nearly 3 years now. I would like it finished before my children vote, Ideally before the youngest goes to secondary school.

Finally there a few things lurking in the wings which if they come off have the potential to massively change investment levels in Harrogate cycling. I am loathe to say anything at the moment, but behind the scenes a fair few people are trying to make Harrogate a bike town.

So we live in interesting times perhaps there will be some Tour De France legacy after all and there is always that UCI race coming this summer, what is it called again?

 

NYCC change their mind over the Leeds Road Junction - now to make it cycle friendly

We pretty much lost a battle over the Leeds Road junction last year with North Yorkshire County Council. They went ahead and remodelled the junction making it rubbish for bikes and it appears rubbish for everyone else. This after a concerted campaign by local activist asking them to think about bike riders and pedestrians more in their design We lobbied they did a bit, but not it appears enough.

They have just announced they are to have another go. Lets hope this time they do something rather than the bare minimum for cyclists, pedestrians and everyone else whoo uses it. Good on them for thinking again, if only they would think first.

Post by North Yorkshire County Council.

REJOICE - Well you know, things are getting better

It looks like the cycling argument is being won nationally. Everyone has been rather more pro cycling recently, but you know what, show me the money. You can't change behaviour or give people more choices without investing some of everyone's hard earned and it looks like that is about to start happening in a more structured way.

Last night an amendment to the infrastructure bill in parliament was passed. This obliges Government to set budgets for sustainable transport nationally. Now we have no guarantee of funding for projects as a result of this, but at least we are arguing about the size of the cake now, not whether or not there should be a cake at all.

Andrew Jones Mp had this to say to me and you

Hello Dave,

Thank you for contacting me on Twitter regarding the cycling and walking amendment to the Infrastructure Bill. Twitter is a wonderful thing, but I do often find it hard to fit a proper reply into 140 characters!

You will be pleased to know that the amendment, tabled by the Secretary of State for Transport, which commits the Government to set out objectives for cycling and walking infrastructure and the funding to meet these objectives was passed last evening.

I was pleased to support this amendment and it was reassuring that it included a commitment to funding as well as to strategy.

You will know that Rebecca Burnett, in her Cabinet Member role, is working to push forward the issue on a local level and I have offered her any support she needs to make progress.

I know you are a regular blogger and tweeter so please do feel free to share the good news about this commitment from Government with your contacts.

I hope this email finds you well.


Kind regards


Andrew

So this is not the end of cycle campaigning, but I do think it represents government finally taking the needs of all road users seriously.