Ben - 9's Waterways

Tuesday 16 February 2010

Rochdale Super-Cycleway?

Is the Rochdale Canal's towpath to become the country's latest cycling super-highway?

Already much of the length of the towpath in the urban areas of Greater Manchester has been improved by being given a hard surface. Now Rochdale Council is about to give the stretch through Littleborough and up over the Summit the same treatment. [link] Not only that but Calderdale Council is planning an even harder surface for the rest of the towpath down through Todmorden, Hebden Bridge and Sowerby Bridge.

I'm sure most of us will be glad to be able to take a stroll along the towpath without getting our feet wet in enormous puddles that stretch the whole way across the width of the path.

But there are downsides to this "improvement".

First of all it is not so pleasant to walk along miles of hard surface. Some of us are not as robust as we used to be and feel the strain in our legs and feet! Compare walking for five miles along a traditional canal towpath with walking the same distance along the pavement at the side of a road and you will see what I mean.

Secondly, it has been seen elsewhere that a firm surface on a towpath encourages cyclists to go faster.

Now, there are a great many towpath cyclists out there who are very considerate of other users and share their notion that the towpath is a place to come for a bit of gentle recreation.

However, there are also plenty of cyclists who use our towpaths who get their heads down and their speed up, seemingly oblivious to all else, including other towpath users. Some stretches of towpath in London have almost become no-go areas for walkers. You certainly wouldn't feel that your child or dog was safe as what seem like the lead riders of the Tour of France hurtle by.

Surely some sort of compromise is called for? A better surface, yes - but a surface that is more pleasant to walk on and less pleasant to cycle rapidly on.

Rochdale Council wants to continue with the same surface used in the urban areas up through the rural stretches. And they were going to do this with no consultation! Only at the last minute, after several user groups kicked up a fuss, was a meeting arranged for people to see what they were going to do and to express their views.

What are the chances of them changing their minds, though? It was being done so quickly because funding was offered as long as the work was done by the end of the financial year.

BW's Nick Smith told Manchester IWA that the process had moved very quickly due to the funding timescales which had given rise to a lack of opportunity to complete a full consultation process.

Nigel Stevens of Shire Cruisers commented that the rush to spend grant money is a very poor excuse for getting things wrong. How very true! He says that his hire boat customers, when walking on the towpath, have often felt in danger of being run down by bikes. And that was before the new surfacing is in place!

I encourage anyone around Smithy Bridge on Saturday (20th) to go along to the station at 10 o'clock to see what is being proposed and to make sure their views are heard. I encourage BW and local councils to engage in better consultation over such things so that the views of all user groups are taken into consideration. BW should also consider whether getting into bed with schemes such as those promoted by Sustrans is really going to be beneficial for all canal users.

Towpaths are for all - not just for cyclists!

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for posting this - I had no idea this was planned. I live in Sowerby Bridge and walk extensively on the towpath. I haven't seen anything in the local news - but, then, I don't get a daily local paper. But, certainly, haven't seen any consultation. Yes, I would be glad to get rid of the very muddy bits - particularly near here, where the towpath tends to be more enclosed, and overhanging trees means that it never gets enough sun to dry out. BUT, I resent having to constantly move out of the way for cyclists! what happened to a nice peaceful walk, without fear of accident!

    Diane

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  2. Has anyone noticed how much kit some of these cyclists are wearing these days? They are prepared for anything - helmets, shin gards, back and shoulder protection, the lot. I went for a quiet walk in the local forest last weekend and was horified at how unprotected we felt as mere pedestrians with these idiots racing round us. Towpaths are not generally very wide having been designed to serve the purpose of towing a boat with a horse. I know I am stating the obvious but BW and Sustrans have a duty of care to the general public who want to quietly enjoy the scenerey, slow progress of boats or a bit of tranquility to fish in peace and quiet. I am now hearing stories about cyclists organising record breaking attempts to 'do' the L&L in less than one day. Surely these events need permission, require policing and the general public need warning and the cost of this must be met by any groups or individuals given such permission?

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