-
Transport in France
I was in France for a couple of weeks before the Integrated Rail Plan was launched, so I thought it might be instructive to have a look at how Public Transport works over the Channel.
High Speed Rail
We spent some time in Arcachon, a seaside small town on the Atlantic coast near Bordeaux, where I noted that if I wanted to I could catch the 05:45 TGV service to Paris and arrive at 08:45, in time for a morning meeting or a day’s work – a distance of 646kms. We were in Bordeaux on Sunday evening and noted 3 trains leaving for Paris at the end of a holiday weekend within 30 minutes, each doubled-up TGV units and full – nearly 1,000 passengers per train.
ER train from Arcachon to Bordeaux
We took the direct TGV from Bordeaux to Brussels, avoiding Paris and changing at Lille for the Eurostar. France is now banning internal flights on many routes because there is no need for this wasteful high-carbon mode of travel. When we got back to the UK we had the choice of a diesel train taking over 2 hours to cover the 165 miles to Sheffield, or a cheaper journey on an electric train, changing at Doncaster. Britain’s failure to invest in rail has left us as a backward-facing, parochial laughing stock in Europe (although the people we met were far too polite to say so) and the HS2 debacle risks making matters worse.
Local transport in Pau
Pau is a smallish city in the Pyrenees region of France (but not in the mountains themselves) having a city population of about 85,000, and a regional population of 200k – so about half the size of Sheffield.
The city centre has a transport problem that is by no means unique to Pau. The station is at the bottom of the valley, with rivers running beside and underneath, and there is a steep climb up to the city centre. Sound familiar? So what has Pau done about it? Well, there’s a free funicular railway – it carries bikes of course, and is used by .5m people per year.
Pau Funicular Once you are in the City Centre, the jolie free electric Navette bus will get you around.
Bikes, electric and normal, are very much in evidence including La Poste’s fleet of E-cargo bikes, – they have at least 5,000 and Project Management types will be interested to learn that they use Lean/Six Sigma to maintain them. Where are the UK Post Office e-bikes?
Motor traffic is severely limited and the centre is a thriving, very pleasant place to stroll about, find a cafe, bar or restaurant, etc.
Voie Vertes (Greenways)
France has embarked on a programme of converting disused railway lines into Greenways.
One such runs from Lourdes past Argelès-Gazost to Sonome, where bike paths and quieter roads take you up into the High Pyrenees and the famous cols. The path is surfaced with tarmac and has three types of access control in place:-
Bollards 
Short Ovals 
Long Ovals All of these seem intended only to slow cyclists down or prepare walkers when there is a road to cross. They wouldn’t keep a motorcyclist out and indeed we saw no motorcyclists on the trail – it doesn’t seem to occur to French motorcyclists to try to use them! We did see La Poste on their e-cargo bikes – great for getting around this mountainous area.
Argelès-Gazost COVID Precautions
France has kept some COVID Restrictions in place. Masks are obligatory on Public Transport and you need a Covid passport, showing that you have been vaccinated twice, to enter restaurants, bars, museums etc. Consequently, as over-65s we felt much safer going into these places and using public transport. The rules were generally adhered to but less so in the quieter town we visited where we felt less at risk anyway. Coming back to the UK it feels like the Wild West where people are completely reckless with their health and that of others. All you can do is get your booster jab and hope for the best!
-
Integrated Rail Fail
So I’ve actually read it, appropriately enough while travelling from Lille to Sheffield via Eurostar/LNER/Northern, I must say that it addresses a lot of the concerns that Greens have had about HS2 – that it has too big a land take, that it doesn’t serve the right places, that the journey time improvements don’t justify the expense, that decarbonising the existing network should be the priority, etc. For the East Midlands, instead of building a new interchange at Toton, it makes use of under-used East Midlands Parkway via a new High-Speed line from Birmingham (So the newspaper headlines that Phase 2b has been “axed” is a little bit inaccurate).
However, the new line won’t go into Birmingham itself so we will continue to rely on Cross-Country for that journey. Parkway stations generate motor traffic, so the prospect that the trains will then be able to access Nottingham and Derby has to be a good thing. Arrival at Sheffield will be at the existing station. The report suggests that journey times would be similar to those predicted via a new High Speed line throughout. There is however a focus on journey times in the report and not much on capacity – if we are to get more freight onto rail we need that extra capacity that HS2 would have brought.
The Midland Main Line will be fully electrified – at last! Much is made of the decarbonisation aspects of this. They suggest that HS2 benefits can be brought to the region much more quickly by this option.The electrification stops at Sheffield though. It will be interesting to see whether the local improvements we have been promised come to fruition – Stockbridge, Barrow Hill etc.
Doncaster, York etc would continue to be served by the ECML which is also to get some upgrades
So not too bad for Sheffield & the East Mids then. Not so good for West Yorks. The report says they will “look at” how the line can best be delivered to Leeds. There was speculation that a high speed line would be built between Sheffield and Leeds (I think most likely via the Dearne Valley) but I have yet to see that in the report.
Leeds is to get, at long last, a mass transit system (the report doesn’t specify whether this will be bus, tram. Metro or something else)
Northern Powerhouse Rail instead of being a network of high-speed routes across the North, becomes an upgrade to the existing route, which was supposed to happen anyway, and the report suggests that under the previous plan they would have just finished that upgrade and then started building another line. Sheffield would have been connected to NPR that opportunity has been lost.
Bradford loses the prospect of a through route under the city, although there was already some controversy over the siting of the station for this. The line from Leeds to Bradford via New Pudsey is to be electrified – I’m not sure what benefits that brings, since the trains using that route continue to Manchester via the Calder Valley and I’ve seen no hint that line is going to be electrified.
Manchester & the North-West pretty much get what they were expecting but the Mayors have been good enough to pile in to support those areas that are losing out.
So what do the pundits say? Christian Wolmar grudgingly seems to admit that it’s a pretty good plan, but doubts that we can trust Boris to deliver it, with some justification I feel. Paul Salveson thinks that HS2 is fundamentally flawed anyway, mostly for being too London-centric However, we can blame the Romans for Britain having a London-centric transport system and that isn’t going to change anytime soon. Nevertheless, Northerners are seeing this as another betrayal from a government of serial liars who were never serious about “levelling up.”
-
E-Bike page updated
Our e-bike page is updated monthly with all the latest info. Visit Now! Electric bikes (e-bikes) explained
-
A Long View of Longdendale
Glossop from Slack Edge I was a latecomer to car culture, and still not that keen on the metal boxes so I’ve been attempting to get across the Pennines by bike or by public transport ever since I arrived in Sheffield in 1974.
I don’t think I ever got the chance to travel across the Woodhead line – I did go on a Charter train to Blackpool in the 1970’s which headed north from Victoria but I think it went via the Calder Valley.
Then, when I worked for a travel company in the 80’s we had an arrangement with a bus company who ran direct services to Manchester Airport – this was before the rail link was built – so used that a few times. I have a vivid memory of coming over the Woodhead and the spectacular view somewhat marred by pylons everywhere and of course the glowering skies meant you were west of the Pennines. And I’m very pleased to see that Hulleys are now running a bike-carrying bus service over the Snake but haven’t used that yet. (This service didn’t survive Covid unfortunately)
Occasionally in those days we would go to a concert in Manchester – it’s always had a better entertainment scene than Sheffield – and we would normally pile in a car to get over. It’s always been a difficult journey in winter but in those days there wasn’t the congestion around Mottram we see now. Now, there is normally a late train back but it goes a roundabout route to avoid potential engineering works and doesn’t run on Saturday nights so going to a concert often still involves travelling by car.
In terms of getting back from Manchester airport, the journey was a pain without a car. Arriving from a foreign bike tour, I would re-assemble my bike, cycle to Gatley and get a train to Piccadilly. From Picc back to Sheffield, if it was the first train in the morning, it would only get you as far as New Mills where you would sit around on a cold platform until another elderly DMU fired up from where it was hidden in the tunnel that was all that remained of the line to Hayfield (from where the Kinder Trespassers set off) and chuntered back stopping at all stations through the Hope Valley. Quite a tiring end to a journey that had started at midnight in Corfu airport!
With improvements to the Sheffield- Manchester service and the Trans Pennine Trail open, more journey opportunities opened up. I’ve done several trans-pennine journeys either travelling to Stockport, or to Manchester Airport (it’s only a few miles to the TPT) and cycling back to Sheffield via the Trail. The TPT is of mixed quality along this stretch, but Tameside country park and the Hyde Greenway are good. Subsequently you have a couple of stiff climbs on rough tracks and sections on main roads before you drop down to Glossopdale (an alternative might be possible via Gamesley sidings) where you cut through some housing before another on-road section to Hadfield. Here there is a lengthy detour via Tintwhistle which I can’t see the point of so I head for Hadfield station where I can get on the Longdendale trail. The surfaces on this aren’t brilliant but it’s far preferable to the alternative of the A628 or even the A57 via Glossop. If I was travelling across by bike on-road I would go via Chinley and Rushup Edge.
When we did the TPT from coast to coast we stayed in Glossop and found that it was a pleasant country town, far different from what we expected. We found a pub with unfeasibly cheap beer and had a very good Sri Lankan meal which was unexpected! Some members of the party stayed in Hadfield and found the train link very useful.
Intrepid Riders on the Woodhead Further east at Torside, we are implementing accessibility improvements to the trail and the National Grid are undergrounding cables which will improve the visual amenity immensely.
There has been talk of opening one of the tunnels for cyclists, but with high-voltage cables installed this would be expensive and I can’t see it happening. The same argument applies to re-opening as a rail tunnels and they may not even be suitable for a modern high-speed railway such as HS3. Plus I think the Peak District needs a rest from development – we need it as a haven for our under-stress wildlife, not as a high-speed corridor between cities. Other routes are available.
Be that as it may, getting up onto the moors at Ironbower is a challenge – it is practically impossible to cycle up the steep track (Danny McAllister might be able to do it) although not that far to push. There is a gentler gradient from Woodhead Bridge but getting there entails a lengthy ride along the A628 unless you have come from Holme Moss, and the bridleway has a poor surface.
Subsequently you have two crossing of the A628 to negotiate before you can descend to Dunford Bridge where the Trail improves a lot.
Rail – getting to Glossop or Hadfield is a lengthy trek from Sheffield involving travelling via Man Picc. Re-opening the railway would make that easier but (a) there would either not be a trail to travel on, or it would be a less pleasant experience being next to the railway (b) I’m against it for the reasons stated above. Bike-carrying buses would seem to me to be the solution here.
Driving
My main purposes in driving this route have been (i) getting to the airport, usually to pick someone up or drop them off (ii) Going to North Wales (we used to use it also to get to West Wales but it is now quicker to go Derby & the M6 toll) via (iii) dropping off/picking up daughter at Uni in Manchester. I live close to the A57 in Sheffield so usually go across the Snake.
We are all well aware of the congestion problems at Mottram and I often turn left at Glossop and go via Charlesworth & Broadbottom (I know this route well from having used the TPT) This probably doesn’t save me any time but I prefer not to be sitting in a polluted traffic queue and it has stunning views.
I think that the traffic problem could be solved by some smart traffic modelling rather than building new roads, for example:-
Some of the vehicles are airport traffic that could and should go by rail.
A lot of the HGV traffic is travelling from Ireland to the East Coast ports and onward to Europe – why would we invest to facilitate this post-Brexit? It seems that this traffic might anyway divert to direct ferries to Europe, to avoid the new paperwork that is required and delays this will cause.
Then, a proportion of the traffic is light delivery vans travelling from distribution warehouses in Manchester to Yorkshire – the logistics industry could avoid this by reorganising their delivery patterns. As a Sheffield resident we are concerned about the additional traffic going through Broomhill and making it easier to access the Snake Pass is likely to increase this.
I think that Highways Agency are being disingenuous about this and either have not done their homework or are not putting it in the public domain. If the road does get built, however, I would like to see the best possible Active Travel facilities built into it.
-
Sheffield to Norfolk
Sheffield to Great Massingham Day 1. Train to Kiveton (brand new, sparkling clean) then on NCN6 through Workshop to Clumber Park which was gorgeous. Clumber bridge was severely damaged by an arsehole in a car but has now been repaired and closed to traffic – hopefully it will stay that way. On to 642 through Tuxford and across the Trent on the Fledborough viaduct, continuing through on 64 to Lincoln where we have a fab view of the Cathedral. Yes it is possible to have fun despite everything!
Signal is down for approach to Fledborough viaduct. Sheffield to Walsingham Day 2: Lincoln to Holbeach. Down the Water Rail Way (it’s a triple pun: it’s an old railway path running between two watercourses & the water rail (bird) lives there. Geddit?!) along very long straight roads, got lost in Boston (always do) & then along remote washlands roads into Holbeach. All on NCN1.
Tattershall Bridge Sheffield to Great Massingham Day 3. We left our lovely hosts in Holbeach, still feeling a bit bloated after Adnam’s beers in the Horse and Groom and a massive curry in the Chameli, and continued on our way Eastwards. NCN1 veers south at this point towards Wisbech, so we left it behind and continued on slightly busier roads through Gedney to Long Sutton (passing the Jolly Farmer…
Not so jolly… where you cross the Nene and continuing to Terrington St Clement where we veered south, rejoining NCN1 at Wiggenhall St Mary Virgin to cross the geographical barriers that separate the Fens from Norfolk – the Middle Level Main Drain, the Great Ouse, the Relief Channel, the railway, the A10 and the A47. The landscape is changing – the odd rise, more trees – as we made our way to Marham, noting that now even the minor roads can be busy, on to Narborough. A refreshing climb up Tumbleydown hill brought us to within quacking distance of the Dabbling Duck, which was to be our home for a couple of days while we visited the Anish Kapoor exhibition at Houghton Hall before making our way to Kings Lynn for trains home. NCN1 from Castle Rising is a fantastic way to journey right to the heart of the city, notwithstanding Sir John Betjemans lament for the demise of the Kings Lynn to Hunstanton railway.
-
Looking for a bike club in the Sheffield Area?
If you’re looking for people to go out riding with there’s a club for every type of rider in the Sheffield area. Have a look at our Clubs page.
-
Across Caledonia
As there’s so little we can do at the moment I thought I’d brush off this account of a trip across Scotland in 2016 that I never got round to completing.
We took our bikes on the Caledonian Sleeper to Fort William, cycled across the Cairngorms and came home on the sleeper from Aberdeen. Here’s the story:
Sleeper from Crewe to Fort William. Note that if you take this train with bikes you are likely to have to get up at 03:30 in Edinburgh and move them from one coach to another, because the train splits and the bike carriage for Ft William only joins the train then. Our host was able to squeeze the bikes into an empty compartment but it was quite a palaver getting them in and out. (This may have changed now that the new trains are in service)
It was great to wake up in the highlands with snow-covered mountains all around.
However, by the time we got to Fort William the snow had retreated to the mountain tops. We followed the bike route (NCN78) to Inverlochy Castle, took an unecessary detour around Corpach, then on the well-laid cycle track alongside the Caledonian canal. Came off at Garelochead, saving the rest of the route to Inverness (now fully open – the Scots have been busy) and over to Spean Bridge to stay at the excellent Spean Lodge with dinner at Russell’s – an expensive evening.
Next day following an aborted attempt to follow a back road, on to the A86 over to Newtonmoor. Not too much traffic on this road and gentle climbing, stopping at Strath Mashie Wildlife reserve and Achduchil getting onto NCR7 just outside the town. at Newtonmoor we stayed at (? B&B) and ate at (? Restaurant) Good beer at the Glen.Next day continuing along 7, on good off-road paths and forest roads to Boat of Garten (just one poor bit at Coylumbridge Just outside Aviemore with busy traffic. )Took the Speyside railway to Aviemore and cycled back on the off-road over moorland – a great easy route.
Monday from BoG via the Osprey centre – the nesting pair are incubating eggs, everyone’s on tenterhooks hoping for a successful delivery – then over the hills to Tomintoul. Our first impression was that this is a town that doesn’t really know what to do with itself – great walking and cycling and there’s the whiskey tour but nothing to really entice you to the place. One feels that dead hand of the Crown Estate.But by Tuesday we had warmed to Tomintoul – our hosts were very hospitable. We toured Glenlivet and enjoyed the wee dram, got hailed on along the road, picnicked at the Bridge of Avon and finished off with a damn fine Pizza at Gordon’s. The Crown had certainly furnished the area with lots of picnic sites and walking and cycling trails.
Wednesday was a hard day. We could see at breakfast that the clouds were heading in the wrong direction and predictions of 20mph winds with 40 mph gusts turned out to be true. We started out well but as we headed up the hill towards Lecht the going got harder and we were soon off the bikes, pushing hard against a punishing wind. By the time we got to the ski centre we were desperate for transport to Ballater to get us out of a dangerous situation but none was available so we just had to carry on walking even down the hill.
The total lack of any cover meant that we were hanging on to the bikes as we descended and it didn’t get any better as we passed Cockbridge and into Strathdon. There were short sections we could ride but then we had turned into the next pass which was just as bad. Finally the road turned and we enjoyed the last 6 miles or so into Ballater. I reckon we had walked about 10 of the 27 or so miles we travelled that day. Walking with a bike in a blasting head and a side wind isn’t the most ergonomic thing you can do so our backs and shoulders really took the strain – it’s going to take a fair bit of back massage and yoga to sort that out. This being the 5th day of the very merry month of May, you can imagine what it’s like earlier on in the year. The last 6 miles however were bliss – the road changed direction and we were blown down the valley.We stayed at the Deen Hotel in Ballater – not somewhere I’ll be rushing back to. A noisy pump somewhere in the innards of the building ensured a restless nights sleep. Luckily the Alexandra Hotel had furnished us with an excellent fish and chip supper with pints of Cairngorms Trade Winds beer that had also sustained on previous nights.Thursday. Forcing down yet another overblown hotel breakfast, we took to the Deeside trail which was to be our route down to the bright lights of Aberdeen. Ballater had suffered from floods over the winter and I feared that the trail, the former Deeside railway that brought Queen Victoria up to Balmoral back in the day, would be rough going, but it had fared reasonably well with some emergency repairs. The worst problem we encountered was some dustbowl conditions where a farmer had ploughed his land when it wasn’t ready for it and the topsoil was blowing away. Having said that the surface wasn’t very good for much of the trail – as we were heading down the valley with the wind behind it didn’t really affect us but if we had been heading in the opposite direction we might well have taken to the roads, which weren’t that busy.
We took to the road between Aboyne and Banchory. Once we reached Peterculter though, we had a good quality surface all the way into the city centre, where Google Maps took over and directed us to friendly Skeyne House, our City Centre apartment. Good beer and food awaits us at the Grill, Fusion and Under the Hammer. and then we repaired to the apart hotel to await the election results.On Friday we had a walk around town, had a great lunch at the Adelphi Grill, strolled up the coast to the River Don estuary and back via Old Aberdeen and the University, stopping in at the busy St Machar for a pint, followed by great Tapas at Nargiles and a final beer at Aitchie’s Ale House before boarding the Sleeper. They had “lost” the 2nd class coach – careless of them – so we had to sleep in first class, shame. Even getting turfed off at Crewe at 5:30 the next morning didn’t seem so bad. -
Welcome to Sheffield Cycle Routes!
Welcome to the Sheffield Cycle Routes website – the definitive guide to getting out and about by bike in Sheffield and South Yorkshire.
We run this site at our own expense to encourage people to start cycling – if you find it helpful please consider leaving a donation via the “Support Me” button.
“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.