Peaks & Puddles
If you’d hoped to join everyone else taking a spin on the Peak District’s most epic new traffic-free greenway, it appears you’ve missed your chance. As of today, the Snake Pass has reopened to motor traffic with what Derbyshire County Council laughably calls a “safety first approach”. But has this month of tranquility proved the case for regular, or even very occasional, advertised, motor-free days on Peak District roads?
Lyme has confirmed all its National Trust parkland will soon be open to access into the evening, for the first time in over two years.
Stockport Council has caused dismay amongst cycling and accessibility advocates with a draft “access controls policy” for its off road paths which seeks to retain wiggle room to continue installing discriminatory barriers — against both government guidance and equality legislation.
A whole range of proposals forming a new Bee Network active travel route between Romiley and Stockport are included in a consultation that ends in just a few days, potentially benefitting a big area of south east Greater Manchester around the River Goyt.
The Peak District National Park Authority has launched a consultation for input into its next National Park Management Plan — an important chance to get active travel, rights of way and cycling high on its agenda of work.
Even if the weather for much of May 2021 has been a washout, the days are now incredibly long as we race towards the brightest day of the year. So will the National Trust’s Lyme Park finally extend its frustrating 4.30pm closing time to 8pm, like usual in summer? It’s not looking good so far.
Update: We’re now in September 2021 and the road is… still open. Which has obviously been a relief for many people who walk and cycle up there, but it’s not clear why Derbyshire County Council’s closure notices were so confused on this and why they couldn’t pin down a more certain, shorter set of dates from the start. Derbyshire County Council has authorised a five month closure of the unnamed one-way road from Errwood Hall to Derbyshire Bridge for forestry works. A beloved route for cycling out of the Goyt Valley into the wider Peak District, its closure will potentiallyRead More
The first phase of Cheshire East’s Emergency Active Travel Fund allocation will go towards allowing cycling through town centre pedestrian zones along with restricting through traffic and adding 20mph limits speed to a handful of other roads.
As if by magic, the impressive Torrs Gorge lying below New Mills suddenly has a brand new footbridge, re-connecting part of the Torrs Riverside Park cut off since late 2015.