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“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” – Yogi Berra
It takes a lot of going wrong before you find the best route.
Sunday the 23rd Feb 2025, bad weather was forecast but I decided to risk it and take the train to Penistone and cycle home on my trusty Cube e-bike. Conditions were a bit damp but manageable.
I could have used quiet roads to get across to Langsett but I chose to head west along the TPT to Bullhouse Bridge (which is closed but repairs are due soon) then a short stretch on the A628 before veering onto Fulshaw Lane. The winds were strong and I was glad to have some electrical assist although I was husbanding the power, not wishing to run out before the steep climb back to my house in Sheffield.
You soon drop down to Langsett – foregoing the pleasures of the Bank View Cafe this time – and my plan was to get onto a little-known section of the Little Don Trail that lurks in the woods, unsigned, parallel to the very busy A616. I managed that at Hollin Wood and had a very pleasant run down the disused railway line that was used to build the nearby dams. Just outside Stocksbridge, at the Equi-Trek works, you have to cross the main road – a crossing is due to be put in but at the moment there is only a pedestrian refuge to make a bit safer.
Use the pedestrian refuge just to the left of this crossing-to-be
Then you can get onto a closed bit of road but you have to climb up again at Underbank Lane to get onto the next section of the Little Don Trail which takes you above the steelworks (which is struggling at the moment apparently) and descends to Fox Valley where again there is a lack signage – you can either up and over on Samuel Fox Avenue or go through the shopping centre (it does have a Trak store ans a couple of outdoor shops) – head to the side of Aldi to get back on the trail.
That gets you through to Deepcar and by taking station road there is a link up to the TPT (Plank Gate) that’s a uphill pull and again I appreciated a bit of juice. In the future you might be able to use the Upper Don trail for a pleasant run along the river – but not yet.
Plank Gate is in pretty good shape at the moment – it gets resurfaced after forestry work) and was a thrilling run. I dropped down to Oughtibridge ambled through Beeley Woods and using the off-road path along Penistone Road, and the new roundabout at West Bar got home without getting soaked – just!
When the little Don and Upper Don trails are complete we will have some fabulous new routes and trails in this area.
An overview of what’s going on in the walking and cycling world in S. Yorks.
Cycle Hubs
City Centre- Open
Moor Market – Open
Meadowhall – Open
Projects
City – Kelham – Neepsend Complete bar landscaping etc. There’s an issue with an oblique kerb which we hope will be rectified quickly.
Magna Tinsley Alleged to be starting soon.
Darnall scheme TROs issued.
Thessco (5WW) – Andrew Pembroke at Sustrans has done a survey and some initial designs for a new structure. He’s awaiting approval from EA and others.
The West Bar roundabout is now open and doesn’t seem to be generating any problems despite the doom and gloom warnings from keyboard warriors.
A neat new connection at Bower Spring links the TPT in Kelham, NCN627, to the new roundabout at West Bar and into the City Centre.Sustrans/TPT need to keep an eye on developments like this with a view to re-routing the NCN where appropriate. Our routes are often based on what was expedient at the time and while it is part of our intent to guide visitors to our interesting and historic places,not all the routes do this, and if we continue to guide people via meandering routes that are of little interest to visitors while locals are increasingly whizzing around on high-quality routes nearby, we risk the Network seeming irrelevant.
The Peak Park NPA has launched an Active Travel consultation.
They want you to think about 5 places in the Park that are important to you in terms of Active Travel and then 5 places that are in need of improvement, then there’s an opportunity to make more general comments, so you might want to think about those ten places before you start the consultation.
I’ve updated my page about cycle access to the Peak, which might give you some ideas.
Start dates for other projects
City Centre Jan 25
Darnall/Attercliffe Jan 25
Nether Edge/ city Centre Mar 25
Burngreave? (£1.8m awarded to make the area more pedestrian friendly)
Oughtibridge paper mill site Upper Don Trail link to village.
Concerns have been raised about delays to this project. They will need access from the Paper Mill site to put a bridge in across the Don and if they leave it too long the developers will build a house on the land they need.
We just moved to the 2025 WordPress Template. A few things need fixing so if it looks bit funny, bear with us while we sort it out.
The new Trans-Pennine service from Manchester to York via Wakefield opens up some opportunities for bike-rail. We took the 08:48 Northern service from Sheffield to Wakefield Kirkgate and switched to the train heading or Manchester, whizzing through Huddersfield and arriving in Marsden around 10:00 in heavy drizzle. Our first mistake was to lug our bikes up the bridge and head to the canal only to discover that we could have just gone through a gate from the platform – a little sign might have helped here!
The towpath here is unimproved and had some spectacular puddles while some of the cobbled walkways at the locks are steep and slippy. We had the wind and drizzle at our backs though and headed down the many locks (I wasn’t counting) with some speed, collecting plenty of mud on the way. Our caffeine levels were starting to drop though so we called in at the excellent Handmade Bakery for a flat white and a bun, leaving a bit of a mess on the seats! (They didn’t mind)
From Slaithwaite the towpath is resurfaced, and offers a smooth and mud-free ride to Huddersfield. Some of the inclines down the locks are steeps and the cobbles can be slippy – take care!
Some of the canal has been drained – with Canal And Rivers Trust funding cut they are struggling to maintain their network – and this leads to some interesting sights:
A lot of regeneration has gone on around this area mostly to do with the University of Huddersfield. Having been warned of closures on NCN69, due to the Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade, by a fellow cyclist on the train (he was off bike-packing in the West Country) we continued on the towpath to Fartown Green where 69 was easy to pick up. However, work around Deighton meant we were diverted up a steep and narrow track (not well signposted) before heading down Cherry Nook and Deighton Road to rejoin the route, which was then pretty straightforward to Mirfield although running alongside the impressive site for the upgrade work .Good to see that the route was being replaced to a high quality where the work has impacted on it. I did wonder. given the big investmwnt thatr is clearly going into rail in this area We enjoyed the spin to Mirfield where we had a good lunch in the Whistling Kettle.
There is a towpath closure that requires you to ride up to Manchester Road and back down to get back onto the towpath – there was no signage about the diversion from the Canal and Rivers Trust . We met a couple from North Carolina who were making their way up to Marsden on rented electric bikes – I’d love to know how they got on!
Continuing along the Huddersfield Road for a short while – cars parked in the bike lane as usual – we turned off into Holroyd Park and Ravensthorpe before using a short section of the Spen Valley Greenway. Reaching Huddersfield Rd again we were diverted onto Scout Hill Road and Fall Lane – to be honest I preferred this to the narrow, scruffy and menacing feel of the old NCN route. Let’s hope this is improved once the the TPRU work is completed. It led me to think that if more money is going to be put into Active Travel, maintenance funding has to be included.
It also led me to wonder why, given this massive investment, there is so much clamour to get started on Northern Powerhouse Rail. Bradford is of course the poor relation when it comes to the Northern Rail network and need better through services but this corridor should be very well served when this work is completed.
Of course we got a bit lost going through Dewsbury – it’s expected – but made our way via the back routes onto the Ossett Greenway, very scruffy and badly signposted as you leave Dewsbury but improves as you start to climb and the last section is very pleasant with sweeping views across the valley and as far as Emley Moor.
Ossett is a pleasant town to visit and you complete the ride with a swoop down to Horbury (note: don’t use the signed cycle route – it may be a quieter road but there is a steep climb up to the church in Horbury) Here we joined the “Rhubarb Route” – sadly most of the Rhubarb sculptures that once adorned it have been stolen and not replaced.
Our downhill glide continued underneath the M1 and brought us into Wakefield, where Kirkgate isn’t too hard to find for the train home.
Why I support the Govt consultation: ‘Smarter regulation: proposed changes to legislation for electrically assisted pedal cycles’ – by Richard Attwood.
Richard Attwood, Author
The Govt has just (29.02.24) launched a consultation , as part of a wider Smarter Regulation Programme, to explore the possibility of an increase in the current legally permissible wattage rating of electric bikes (e-bikes), and also of the manner in which they are propelled by the rider. In this consultation they have set out a clear and to my mind convincing rationale for exploring how more powerful e-bikes can contribute to the pressing need to facilitate more Active travel behaviour, thus improving the nation’s health, reducing transport costs and emissions, cutting congestion and making local areas more attractive places in which to live and work.
I support this proposal, both in terms of the environmental and societal rationale above, and for the reasons set out below, based on my own experience as an everyday e-bike user.
There have been some alarmist reactions published in the press, doubtless and understandably driven by recent accounts of incidents involving illegally powerful and fast electrically powered bikes (these are legally classed as Mopeds, not bicycles) and of battery fires associated with poor quality imported batteries and battery chargers being used on these machines. Concerns have also been raised by e-bike users themselves, and by some in the cycle industry, who are rightly wary of any changes that might be used as levers to challenge the legal ‘bicycle’ status of the current e-bikes.
Whilst understandable, I strongly believe that these concerns are not always founded on a full and clear understanding, either of the capabilities of the current crop of e-bikes, or of the type and degree of difference 500W motors could actually make if permitted. I have attempted to address this below.
Currently, bone fide electrically assisted bikes can be ridden, by anyone over 14 years of age, in the same manner as a ‘normal’ bicycle, that is on both the highway and on dedicated cycle infrastructure, and without the legal requirement for vehicle registration, insurance, and a helmet. At this point, and for the purposes of this particular discussion, it is worth clarifying the following commonly misunderstood aspects of electric bikes, known as electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs) in the UK and EU.
To meet the legal definition as an EAPCs they:
● Must be fitted with pedals that are capable of propelling it.
● The electrical assistance must cut-off when the vehicle reaches 15.5mph
● The maximum continuous rated power of the electric motor must not exceed 250 Watts(250W)*
*In terms of power, it is important, in the context of this discussion, to be aware that the current crop of 250W e-bikes produce a wide range of differing power outputs, depending on motor type and sophistication. Some are designed to be legally capable of producing 600W or more, but only for brief periods of intense demand, e.g. when tackling steep hills and/or heavy loads. This is because, in both the UK and Europe, the term “continuous rated power” is key (rather than Peak power) It is defined as “the maximum thirty minutes power at the output shaft of an electric engine as set out in UNECE regulation No 85.”
E-bikes are currently permitted to offer a ‘Walk assist’ powered mode as an aid when walking the bike around or up ramps etc. This allows for assistance up to just under 4 mph. Beyond that, the motor is only permitted to provide assistance when the rider is pedalling.
Here in the UK, a legal quirk means e-bikes can already be legally equipped and sold with a so-called ‘Twist and go’ or ‘Throttle only’ option, allowing your e-bike to propel you up to the legal 15.5 mph limit without pedalling, using some form of throttle mechanism (thumb push or twist grip), just as long as it is first type approved as an L1e electric bike in the 250W Low Powered Moped category at an MOT station.
At least one reputable UK manufacturer has set up this provision and can supply an e-bike set up inthis manner. In this scenario the availability of 500W motors would, as the consultation says, increase the capability and effectiveness of this very egalitarian option in more demanding situations, whilst still keeping within legal and safe limits.
Adding the electrical and physical components – motor, battery, controller – to make a ‘normal’ bike into an e-bike increases the weight of the bike by no more than 4 to 8 kilos, depending on the system and battery size, however the typically robust build of e-bikes intended for everyday use means they actually weigh around 20 to 25kgs in total, and purpose built ‘Cargo’ models around 30kg.
As regards weight and deceleration concerns, reputable models have a stated weight limit to suit their capabilities, and modern disc brakes are well up to the job of stopping an e-bike safely, and of course the bike will still only be receiving assistance at 15.5 mph or less.
The author uses an electrically assisted car-replacing mid-sized load carrying bike as everyday transport in a hilly city. (It’s basically a sturdy Hybrid style bike with a longer and stronger rear rack). This e-bike can legally carry a 65kg load or passenger, and has a maximum total permissible weight limit, including the rider and the bike, of 180Kg. The ability of my e-bike to move all this mass around a hilly city safely and without undue strain on the rider or the machine is down to this particular bike’s sophisticated (and expensive) 250W rated system being designed to briefly produce 600W or more under load.
As a 95kg rider who makes the most of my bike’s design capacity (e.g. hauling a small car boot’s worth of shopping in the big panniers) I really appreciate this high ‘peak’ wattage capability and the safe acceleration it affords. Those watts enable me to negotiate my place neatly and safely in and around the traffic flow, to the benefit of all road users. For example when I’m pulling away well loaded, on a hill, say from traffic lights, I’m counting on every one of those 600 odd watts to make safe progress, and I would definitely value the increased safety margin a few more watts would afford, and maybe I would even be able to actually reach the maximum assisted 15.5mph on my gradual climb back home from the city!
My e-bike simply wouldn’t be the car replacement it has become without the high levels of ability described above.
All this capability is also down to the fact that my particular bike has a purpose built ‘Mid mounted’ motor, which itself requires a purpose built frame to sit the motor in. These particular features however come at very significant financial outlay, putting such as this sort of powerful Mid driven e-bike option beyond the reach of many potential individual users, and doubtless of some of the burgeoning ‘last mile’ type delivery solutions being promoted in people
busy town centres and urban areas.
If these proposals are enacted and 500W motors are allowed, users will have a choice of either wheel mounted ‘Hub’ drives or the more budget priced imported Mid drives. It is important to be clear that these options, in particular the Hub drive motors, do not produce equivalent levels of power (wattage) compared to the more sophisticated and expensive European makes. Typically, 500W motors are capable of generating only around 25% more power than a high spec Euro mid drive, and the premium imported 500W Mid drives up to 40% more. They are not twice as powerful, as the bald numbers would suggest and people may be interpreting, they do however offer this moderate increase in hauling power at lower speeds and significantly less cost, and also, crucially in terms of cost, greater adaptability to differing frame designs and functions.
For context, the number of watts, or the power that the motor of a particular e-bike develops at any given time, translates into the bike’s ability to move itself, the rider and any load. More watts equals more power, and more power, in the context of these proposals means moving loads more efficiently and safely. It does not mean more speed, and it won’t increase the acceleration capability beyond that of the current more high spec e-bikes already legally in use now. It will however offer the rider the ability to move a heavy load off the mark safely, and get up to a reasonable (albeit the current restricted) speed quickly, making for effective and economical delivery times.
To use a motoring analogy: The power of 500W motors, as proposed in this consultation, will increase the pulling power you’d expect from a diesel engined family car or van, it will not increase the speed you’d expect from a power increase in a sporty GTi.
Upping the limit to 500W and permitting throttle control will open up the possibility of a more useful level of assistance being available to a much wider audience, be that the person mentioned in the consultation who, for whatever reason, has difficulty pedalling a bicycle but wishes to avail
themselves of the health, cost and enjoyment benefits of assisted cycling, or it may be the load lugging industry looking for economically realistic options as they endeavour to produce options to replace heavy and polluting commercial vehicles carrying stuff around in people busy areas. In both these particular instances, having the finesse of throttle control rather than heaving on pedals whilst navigating busy areas will facilitate safer control.
The consultation includes the question: Do you support or oppose limiting either or both of the proposals to e-cargo bikes? Personally I would oppose this limitation. I think that it would be impractical and defeat the objective of creating safe, good quality light electric transport options. For example I would not class my own and similar bikes as ‘Cargo’ bikes per se. Although capable of carrying loads of stuff or a passenger (or two small ones), I chose my model specifically for its multifunctional character (including riding on rough tracks), whereas mainstream ‘proper’ big, long, or multi wheeled Cargo bikes would not have this range of ability.
Also, with reference to the Delivery culture, the bikes that are being adopted here aren’t Cargo bikes, they are smaller and less multifunctional, chosen more for their ruggedness, comfort, simplicity and low cost.
As regards the concerns about battery safety, size is not the issue. Current mainstream e-bikes have batteries of up to 800Wh or more, some have two fitted! The safety of the current ubiquitous Lithium based batteries is basically dependent on the quality of components and of manufacture, and on using the correct ‘matched’ charger for the system. Battery safety is therefore dependent on the regulation and enforcement of the supply and sale of good quality, affordable batteries and their components, and of good practice when charging, both of which the industry and regulators appear to be waking up to as this sector develops.
As a point of note, 500W systems are invariably 48 volt, rather than the 250W 36V norm, and 48v batteries offer more capacity for their size, and one of the useful side effects of this proposal is that users will be able to access properly regulated good quality systems with more useful and reliable power legitimately (but with the same
speed restrictions as at present), rather than relying on dubious imports.
As an aside, I wonder if this is at some level also a constructive attempt to address the burgeoning electric bike (i.e. Not bona-fide e-bikes) delivery industry by, in effect, offering a legal option to those riders who just wish to make good loaded progress (and income) during their shift without having cycling fitness..…so to basically bring a chunk of this currently rogue carry on ‘into the fold’, where they will be able to access properly regulated good quality systems with more useful and reliable power legitimately (but with the same speed restrictions as now), rather than relying on dubious imports as they do currently.
So based on my own everyday experience, and on the developing maturity of the market as regards safe components and practices, I believe the availability of 500W motors would, as the consultation suggests, facilitate more widespread and appropriate use of electrically assisted light transport options, with good societal benefit, without compromising safety.
Finally, for this discussion to remain objective and useful it is essential to avoid any conflation of prospective, legally restricted 500watt motors with those capable of producing 500watts and more
currently available on the internet. These are invariably associated with illegal, unrestricted systems that are capable of speeds beyond the legally permitted 15.5mph.
You can make your views known via the consultation until 11:59pm on 25 April 2024.
Richard Attwood.
04.03.24.
PS I’ve yet to hear a similar outcry about the massive and worrying increase in weight and speed of everyday electric cars……..
E-Bike guru Richard Attwood has updated his e-bike guide for 2024
Hook of Holland via Hull on the Rotterdam ferry. (with P+O ferries – no other ferries are available for this route!)
Context:
We had booked a special exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and wanted to use the Bromptons for a bit of an adventure going over. (We returned on the Eurostar direct from Amsterdam to London).
We decided to cycle from Rotterdam Europoort, where the P+O ferry docks, up to Leiden for a night, via the Hook of Holland (the Dutch section of the LF Kustroute/Eurovelo route 12 or North Sea route) and then onwards on day 2 to stay in Haarlem, which we would use as a base, just travelling into Amsterdam on the 15 min train ride for the day. (£10 return) – this made for 2 comfortable 30ish mile days on the Bromptons (esp given the wind, and more wind – not in our favour on this run….)
Station to Ferry:
Our journey started in Sheffield around early/mid afternoon, travelling to Hull. Alighting from the train in Hull turn R off the platform and out of the South side of the station and mount up at the Pelican crossing on Anlaby Rd.
Follow the 1/2hr, 3.5 mile route to the ferry given on Cyclestreets – https://www.cyclestreets.net/journey/89005767/ – crossing the impressive Drypool bascule (Scherzer rolling lift bridge) bridge over the river Hull, the good cycle path using the old Hull to Barnsley trackbed to pass the amazing Siemens wind turbine blade factory on Alexandra dock, then turning down to terminal 1 of King George dock for the ferry.
(Historical layout of the docks here – pre King George dock which is to the right of the Alexandra dock.)
Booking:
(comprehensive info from P+O re taking bikes on this ferry here )
We didn’t find a clear way of booking a bike on P+O’s online format, so we booked on as foot passengers and then rang the customer helpline 01304 44 88 88 and booked the bikes.
Note – we’ve since come across booking services such as https://www.directferries.co.uk/ which are a few pounds cheaper and purport to offer a bicycle option but we couldn’t get it to work, so I think option 1 above is best.
On arrival you now have to join the outside car queue, which feels a bit odd….I do wonder if you could equally just roll up at terminal 2 with the foot passengers, and if it was raining that’s maybe what i’d try.
(P+O say: “Top tip: bicycles count as vehicles, so make sure you’ve thought of this in advance when making your booking. Remember – only one bicycle is allowed per booking. If you are travelling without a vehicle you must check in via the car lanes, and not as a foot passenger. Cyclists will ride or walk up the ramp with their bicycle to deck 7 and all vehicles will be held until you reach the roof of the terminal and the ramp to the ship. Once you are on deck 7, a marshal will direct you were to go and secure your bicycle.”) Make sure you get to the Port of Hull with plenty of time to spare – check in closes 90 minutes before the ship is scheduled to depart, we recommend arriving plenty of time before this to prevent any hold-ups, as the ferry terminal can get busy.
It took about ½ hr to shuffle to the check in, so a brolly may be helpful at this point!
You may be invited into the custom shed for a random check.
You’ll then cycle up the ramp, and tie your bikes up to a bulkhead just inside the hold door (ropes provided).
NB We definitely recommend this ‘being a vehicle’ approach, rather than trying to take folding bikes on as a foot passenger, as there isn’t much room to manoeuvre/store a folder onboard!
Enjoy the cruise down the Humber past Immingham/Grimsby/Cleethorpes/Spurn Pt, and get some beer/jazz/films/shut eye ready for the 7.30 wake up announcement prior to the 9am docking.
Following the announcement for drivers to go to vehicles, go down and release your steed, and nose up to the hold ramp door ready to be invited to be first off when it opens! – whizz down through the passport hut and customs car port and you are free!
You now have various choices re crossing the Nieuwe Waterweg Ship canal northwards to get to the Hook of Holland.(Assuming you want to).
Between April 1st and October 1st you can cycle west through the Europoort for about an hour and a quarter to catch the little 11am https://www.hoeksveer.nl/EN/ ferry from Maasvlakte over to the Hook of Holland, more or less crossing the mouth of the huge canal as it meets the North sea. It goes from behind the imaginatively named ‘Future Land’ leisure facility and takes about an hour, costing 7.20 euros. It’s an interesting ride through the port and all its docks and ships. We enjoyed this, and it dropped nicely time wise being 2 hrs after docking, and it meant the minimum of cycling overall to get to the Hook.
NB: Note that it is only 7 days a week in July and August! – study the timetable carefully!
Out of season, on a day when the hoeksveer isnt’ operating or just by preference, you can cycle a similar distance eastwards parallel to the Canal to the – Rosenburg to Maassluis ferry
Or you can keep going towards Rotterdam proper to the cycle tunnel
Either way, assuming you want to get to the coast to then go North, you’ll need to then cycle back West a good way to the Hook – probably into the wind!!
Alternatively, if you aren’t too fussed about getting to the Hook to then follow the EV12/LF Kustroute along the coast, you can pick out a shorter more direct route to The Hague/Delft/Leiden/Utrecht/Amsterdam etc using the fabulous Fietsroutes (numbered nodal network) of cycle paths that covers much of the country.
We used the brilliantly simple https://routiq.com/app on our phones to plan and follow these routes – just pick a route, note the numbers of the junctions that when chained together form the route you want, and then follow the numbered arrows directing you to each successive numbered junction! (All in Green)
To be honest we preferred the shelter and interest to be found dodging around the urban settlements and wooded edgelands of the interior to ploughing along the often featureless coast path……
Additional side note regarding taking a Brompton on the Eurostar:
Well it’s great that you can, however we found the following when boarding in Amsterdam.
You need to fold and cover your bike as soon as you get to the queue to check in, using whatever ‘wheeled’ additions it has to then move it along. We used proper Brompton covers, but I suspect a large but sturdy bin bag may well suffice, as long as it’s strong enough to withstand being manhandled through the scanner etc.
Note – the £3 IKEA Dimpa storage bag is a great wheeze for totally bagging up your Brompton, BUT note that you won’t then be able to ‘wheel’ it along as you can with the open bottom Brompton bag or equivalent.
(It is also a fail safe option for UK buses and coaches who can turn open covers away!!)
A standard Brompton just fitted through the scanner with a bit of malarkey, but I had to remove my extended seatpost (just the extender bit) for it to fit through!
This suggests any other folder larger than a Brompton will be problematic….
Long post, sorry. Report back on last night’s Cycle Forum, which was a Q&A with members of the Transport Committee.
Sail-Rail from Sheffield to Dublin – What’s it like?
I got the train to Holyhead on Oct 2nd, the day after a strike, so I was a bit worried that my journey would be disrupted. Although Northern had cancelled the 09:14 stopper, the 09:11 express was running and they even took the time to attach an extra unit. I had time at Piccadilly for a coffee+xant and a comfortable TfW train got me to Chester. It was a very tight connection at Chester – if I had been able to get there earlier I would have : and the 2-car train was very busy, but there was the odd seat & I was able to get a good one with a view after a couple of stops – ideally on this train you sit on the right hand side to get the sea views. At Holyhead, although my ticket said Irish Ferries, Stena Line were happy to take me – imagine rocking up to the Ryanair desk with an EasyJet ticket! I checked in my Brompton – no extra charge for this – and the bus drives you right on to the ferry and soon you’re sitting in a comfortable lounge sipping a tea (other beverages are available) Onwards to Dublin!
I had picked up a puncture on my Brompton somewhere and contacted my pal Damien to see whether he could meet me with a repair outfit. Sure enough he turned up complete with dog, cargo bike and full repair kit – soon we were on our way. An off-road route from the city to the ferry port is being built but not quite ready yet, so we shared the road with a few artics to get out of the port. Obviously we had to stop for a drink before heading home.
Active Travel in Dublin
There have been a lot of changes in Dublin since I was last there. The tipping point was the Velo-City conference in 2005 which opened up Irish politicians, planners and campaigners to the possibilities. Upcoming at that time was the opening of the tunnel to the Ferryport, which took heavy truck traffic off the Quays and created space for the planners. At that time the Luas light rail system had termini on each side of the city but now it is linked up. Cycle lanes, formerly just white paint on the road, are now becoming segregated, sometines initially lightly with “wands” but increasingly with permanent demarcations. And there are plenty of cyclists about! Dublin is a city of the young with a thriving University culture. Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART, a nod to the BART San Francisco system, perhaps?) has plenty of room for bikes as does the heavy rail system.
Heading up north to Howth, every main road had a separate, well used cycleway system. Greenways are being built in the city and across the country as well – the Royal Canal and Grand Canal towpaths are very cycleable and Damien took me out to see the new River Dodder Greenway, providing access to the Balrothery Weir, an amazing stepped weir, previously quite hard to find.
The investment in all this, coming from austerity-hit Britain, is quite astounding. Unfortunately a side-effect of all this development has been that housing prices have gone through the roof, as everyone wants to live in Eire now.
Sadly I had to leave and the sail-rail journey back all went well until arriving in Manchester to find many cancelled trains and everyone heading for Sheffield squeezed onto one Northern Rail stopper. Welcome back to the UK!
