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?