The Woodfield bike show

Local PCSO James Skaith or as he is known on twitter PCSO_5391 organised a bike show on Sunday at Woodfield Park to promote cycling in Harrogate, we were there. It was great to meet James who is a switched on and enthusiastic cyclist and he seemed genuinely interested to find out what Cycle Harrogate was about. He was there coding bikes and giving security advice but to organise so many other companies and agencies to turn up as well really was above and beyond the call, so well done. I hope this become an annual event and that it is a way for Harrogate's cycling community to come together and become stronger as a result.

The event seemed really well attended by all ages and there were some interesting bikes there including some folding electric bikes of a type I have never seen before with the batteries running vertically behind the seat tubes.

Wheel Easy were there, we had a chat and it looks like the Harrogate to Ripley cycleway will be open by the spring once a final few access and planning issues have been resolved. This will be a great leisure route and its good to see Sustrans making a difference on the ground.

We ran into a friend of mine Craig Stevenson on the Specialized/Boneshakers stand who was a fresh from coming second in the Leeds Triathlon. I've been climbing a few times with Craig but didn't realise what a quality athlete he is. He is off to the World Champs in New Zealand soon, so good luck Craig.

North Yorkshire County Council also had a representative there and we introduced ourselves and explained what we were about. We soon got a lot of puffing and blowing and platitudes about why there was no money for cycling infrastructure and why resurfacing the Beryl Burton cycleway was important but couldn't be done at the moment. My wife thought I was a little to direct in my approach especially when I said I would resurface the Beryl Burton myself for 40K, but to be honest I think I may have been too polite.

It was to be honest a pretty depressing conversation that made me quite angry. The message seemed to be there is no demand for cycling so we don't bother making any provision. I think that this is both wrong and wrong headed and it got us to thinking that maybe we have to re-double our efforts with Local Government, to make them aware that there a lots of cyclists out there who want bikes to be better catered for. On a more positive note they did say they were hoping to work with the Hospital to encourage cycling something that so far we have failed to do and we will see what comes of that.

I think the council and I guess many Councillors have missed the huge groundswell in cycling recently and perhaps genuinely believe that what they are offering for cyclists is acceptable. Roads designed to put the needs of car users before the needs of other road users being something to be proud of rather something to be ashamed of. I put forward York as a city that seems to have given some thought and investment into the needs of bike riders but I  got stared at like I was deluded. I think we have a long way to go before the argument is won.

Anyway good to see cyclists being catered for by our police service and at least acknowledged by the people we ask to govern us and if we can keep putting our concerns and requests in front of them we will be more difficult to ignore and change will follow.