Mixed reaction to plans to transform Scarborough's Cinder Track into a "cyclists' motorway"

The Meon Valley Trail had a similar story. A favoured (locally) narrow, muddy, impassable trail was widened, resurfaced and made avaialable to all. Lots of objections form horse riders because now they can't ride fast on the not-so-friendly-to hooves surface. Other than that far more users now have access to an area of outstandng natural beauty. Trails should be easily accessible by all - mobility scooters, wheelchairs, horses, walkers, cyclists (of all abilities). My advice to the locals that want to keep it to themselves and restrict access to those users already mentioned is to work WITH Sustrans so that the end result benfits ALL.

I rode part of this trail from Hawsker to Cloughton return back in June and enjoyed it.   Great views and a nice easy ride.   What I didn't enjoy was the grumpy reception I got from some dog walkers, miserable sods.   I am an old B myself (61) but always slow down to walking pace for dog walkers and use a bell to warn them.   I also stop for horse riders to let them pass.   Obviously, not all cyclists slow down or stop and some are total tossers.    I hope Sustrans manages to get there plans through as some parts of the trail were very muddy and narrow on the hot day I rode it.     

Theres a very popular shared use path near me, unfortunatly speeding commuter cyclists are a big problem. 

You would have hoped they could just be considerate but some people are just bellends.  

Not sure how  or if you can account for that in the design. 

I walked 90% of the length of it with the Other Half and a couple of friends in the week before Easter this year.

The Cinder Trail is rough, a lovely weekend adventure trail, with ruts and gullies and some areas overgrown and quite narrow. We needed to jump out of the way of cyclists a number of times, into a wet narrow overgrown verge. Some areas have been repaired because they got completely gullied from rain, because the railway drainage had silted up. Other areas serve as access roads to various farms and the occasional pub. All lovely and loads of fun for the families on their bikes in the holidays. Brilliant scenery.

These photos give you an idea:

Section between Scarborough & Ravenscar:

Ravenscar to Robin Hood Bay:

Robin Hood Bay to Hawsker:

Hawsker to Whitby:

But I bet nobody commutes on it in winter.

The alternative to get to say Scarborough from Ravenscar is to cycle along the fast, hostile main road with its 25% gradients, or get a once-an-hour bus. This is an attempt to do something decent in an area with massive unemployment and fitness issues, that could be used year round. They could also open the Ravenscar Tunnel to eliminate a short length of steep rough concrete ramp near the National Trust cafe and shop.

My guess is the reason locals oppose it is because they see it as a _recreation_ asset, not a useful route. Most people we saw were 'carpark walkers', families cycling on MTBs, plus a handful of hardened walkers and a few friendly cycle tourers.

As for 'suburbia', they're having a laugh, once you get out of the actual Scarborough suburbs it's open country apart from Robin Hood's Bay and a couple of caravan parks nearer Whitby.

So, it is not accessible along its length to all cyclists/ trike and hand bike users, wheel chair users? 

If the concern is suburban encroachment etc then perhaps engage with plans and change them rather than simply object? I understand the romantic charm associated with routes and rides like this but it strikes me it is unfair if they are not accessible and  useable by all.

It's about time this track received some investment. For too long it's been the Cinderella of the National Cycle Network. 

Avoid the encroachment of urban for as long as possible. Selfishly, I used to enjoy a quite abondoned railway track which needed a cross bike at least. It got the sustrans treatment, widened & tarmac which was great for pootlers but the creep of suburbia ruined the charm. Now it's just a motorway to get somewhere

It was resurfaced with new cinders in the last year. It's not perfect if you want a motorway for bikes but it's not meant to be just for cyclists.

I have never ridden this but have wanted to.

 I am currently confused  though by description of it being perfect etc and not needing improving. There are lots of pics  of its current state ion twitter suggesting  some sections are pretty poor and nowhere near good enough for all typ s of cyclist including those using adapted bikes etc. It does look afar like a bit of nimbyism. Perhaps there is an up to date YouTube video suggesting otherwise?

Ridden this route penty of times and its perfect as it is, but like all shared use paths/ tracks it just takes one idiot on a bike, one daft dog walker, one inconsiderate jobsworth walker and suddenly there's a them vs us war. Probably won't ride the Moors and Shores event again as it uses a fair few of these and there's obviously conflict between locals and cyclists. I ride my bike for fun and am always considerate, just can't be doing with a mouthful of abuse or the snide comments. A real shame.

That cinder track is perfectly fine as it is. It's do-able on a cross bike, I prefer an MTB with front suspension. It was used in the Moors and Shores ride in the "Adventure Cross" series which is billed as 'cross bike friendly. You even see tandems on it quite regularly.

Anyway, where else can we ride our new Gravel Bikes? SAVE OUR GRAVEL!!! 

I ride a local shared path, sometimes at speed, with no problems. occasionally there are self righteous walkers and dog walkers, but generally everyone has learnt to live with each other.

Some anti-social rider use it too.