An interesting day for Cycling in Harrogate. I was nattering to Radio York this morning after they tracked me down. I talked about Cycling in Harrogate and why it wasn't as big as it is in York.
I think I managed to blame it on poor infrastructure and a lack of any kind of strategic planning on the part of NYCC, if not dear reader I tried. Thing is it was snowing, I was stood outside and I was covered in cold, wet cement. So for some reason I was all jovial and diplomatic which is not like me at all. I hope no one got the impression I thought our county council are doing a good job catering for bike riders in the town.
This evening I was at the first meeting of the Harrogate Cycle Forum where Harrogate Borough Council who do seem interested in talking to local cyclists and listening to their views, met with maybe 20 folk who had all turned up to exchange ideas and compare agendas.
Most of the Harrogate clubs where there, a few activists like myself along with a couple of bike shop owners and people with business interests that involve bikes.
Here is what I learned, Harrogate Borough council have committed to getting more people on a bike (YESSSSS), Jo Armstrong is the lead on this, she is doing good stuff. Kids are being trained, rides for novice bike riders are being organised, bikes will be available for loan if you fancy a go.
We need some better information to get people riding and there is to be work on this more detail to follow.
There will be money to get some cycle trainers in the area, this is all good stuff and should be celebrated. There is going to be a cycle festival as part of national bike week during the week leading up to and including the weekend of 22nd and 23rd of June. There will be lots of stuff happening. More info when things get nailed down.
John McGivern is the council officer tasked with getting the Tour De France delivered in Harrogate District, he looked scared and excited and he looks well capable. He wants to leave a legacy after the Tour behemoth rolls across the Stray and heads south, good man. We are going to see what we can come up with as a group and let John deliver it, more news when we have thrashed out a plan.
Then news rolled in as I got home, that the Government in Westminster have approved 10 million quid to help deliver the Tour in Yorkshire, WOOHOO. Some of this cash should wash across the shores of the district and as the wave breaks, you should see marks on the high tide line to prove it was there. We do indeed live in interesting times. If only NYCC seemed to have noticed that the third biggest sporting event in the world was coming for two days to their backyard. If they were actually committed to sustainable transport and that they had a generational opportunity to make Harrogate a bike town. I would actually believe all my dreams had come true.
Anyway look out for those Legacy Doves in late 2014. They will show when the waters from the tour have receded and we are once more, just a small town, surrounded by countryside with a congestion problem.
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