- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Tubeless valves
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
Cinder Track sign (via Save Our Cinder Track petition).jpgSustrans announces 'sympathetic' plans for renovation of Scarborough's Cinder Track
Sustrans has developed a draft plan for what it calls “a sympathetic restoration” of the old railway line between Scarborough and Whitby which will be put forward for consideration by Scarborough Borough Council. Thousands of people have signed a petition against widening the track, feeling that such work would destroy the character of the route, fundamentally altering how it is used.
Over 3,300 people have signed Help Save Our Cinder Track! which also raises concern about plans to add an asphalt surface.
“Sustrans, who are predominantly a cycling organisation, also intend to promote the path to commuter cyclists,” the petition reads. “The width and surface of the track will attract road bikes and cyclists who wish to speed, and this has serious safety implications for current users, who include ramblers, families, leisure cyclists, horse riders and dog walkers.”
The latest Sustrans plan features broad principles for improving the track in relation to drainage, path construction, vegetation, vehicle use and improved multi-user access.
Rupert Douglas, Sustrans Network Development Manager for Yorkshire, commented:
“We are very clear that a tarmac surface is not suitable and is not appropriate for the whole 21.5 miles, so we have provided information about alternative surface options for consideration at sensitive locations such as in the North York Moors National Park. There’ll need to be more consultation with local communities about these options in more detail as part of the planning process.
“We feel that sympathetically restoring the track to a high quality and all weather, user-friendly route for all while preserving the habitat the route provides for flora and fauna will give the local community an asset to enjoy and be proud of. It will also have a very positive impact on the visitor economy of the Yorkshire coast in the long term.”
A steering group made up of the North York Moors National Park Authority, Friends of the Old Railway, Gateway Whitby, Scarborough Borough Council and Sustrans has been involved in the plan’s development.
Sustrans says the group has taken into account the views of more than 1,000 people who took part in an online consultation earlier this year, although local resident Pete Tomkins, who founded bike accessories firm Crud and who has signed the petition, has suggested that plans, “go a bit beyond what any reasonable person would consider to be 'improvements'.”
Scarborough Borough Council will present the draft plan to its Overview and Scrutiny Board for consideration and comment next month.
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
Latest Comments
- mdavidford 4 sec ago
Because clicks mean prizes, so any tenuous excuse to crowbar in links to another story will always be taken.
- mdavidford 6 min 30 sec ago
Doesn't fix your puncture, but does make the whole experience a lot more interesting...
- mdavidford 8 min 28 sec ago
[OK - technically that's four, but one of them's hardly there...]
- Surreyrider 34 min 43 sec ago
Equally, you could say don't fixate on the frame material - both ti and carbon can be made comfortable or stiff.
- Chris RideFar 1 hour 3 min ago
We're in a big mess with tyres when a reviewer starts a sentence with "The tyres were relatively easy to fit with a little bit of persuasion" but...
- Rome73 1 hour 58 min ago
'I’m not anti-cyclist, I cycle myself, . . . . . . . . . ” blimey, if I had a quid for every time I'd heard that one - I'd be loaded.
- newbankgyratory 5 hours 25 min ago
A possible answer to the conundrum:...
- Sriracha 9 hours 18 min ago
https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/technical-faq-bottom-bra...
- chrisonabike 10 hours 47 min ago
That's a bit forward! But yes; pop up any time you like. Except when the buses have been at the bridges.
- TheUntypicals 12 hours 51 min ago
If businesses are suffering on Linthorpe Road it is entirely their own fault, most of the destination type shops moved out long before the cycle...
Add new comment
13 comments
Anyone who thinks Sustrans know what they're doing just needs to ride National Route 1 north (or south I suppose if you live up there).
Sweet Jesus that is awful.
This route could be one of the most picturesque rides in the country which is currently being hindered by the awful condition of the surface. As an experienced rider myself I currently avoid the route due to the terrible surface and on the few times I have ridden it previously I have only seen mountain bikers on it. This route could be such an asset to families wanting to introduce youngsters to the joys of cycling but at the moment they could only ride it if they had full suspension rather than stabilisers! Cyclists and walkers should work together to improve this facility for all.
i attach a picture from my last ride which hopefully illustrates the point.
image.jpg
My 5-yr-old Granddaughter regularly and happily rides this section on her 20" Islabike. I do not know how you can describe the surface as 'awful'. I have been riding it for 30 years. It is an excellent mature, rural path, open to all. No signeage, no quirky features. A country path personified.
Keep the Bulldozers JCB's and contractors in hard hats away from this rural paradise.
In response to Mistercrud I am still of the opinion that this route is an awful state and is un rideable in parts by all but the most experienced of riders . I am not sure which part of the route Mistercruds grandaughter rides happily but my previous picture is taken approx 1.5 miles from Robin Hoods Bay heading towards Ravenscar. This is in stark contrast to the excellent facilities I have recently experienced on a similar coastal route In Holland (photo attached). I know which environment I would prefer my 5 year old grandaughter to be riding in!
I am perplexed that as a cyclist, drivers of road transport don't want us to share their space and now walkers don't want us to share their space! I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that it's not worth my effort trying to reduce road congestion or pollution levels and that cycling isn't now worth the hassle that comes with it. On the other hand I could always move to Holland which has a much more conciliatory and positive view of peoples health and well being .
image.jpg
Sustrans: make it MUCH WIDER than the bristol bath one and SEGREGATE it, learn the lessons of your past mistakes/successes!
Overbuild it if there is any remote risk whatsover that it might be popular; because any of us can tell you that the pent up demand for somewhere car-free to cycle is massive.
Radical idea, widen it, and surface half, mark it clearly as the "cycle way", preferable with 2 directional areas indicating direction of travel for bikes. Leave the other side as is with a softer sooser surface for those walking.
Sign it clearly, dogs on a SHORT lead, on pedestrian side, and bikes slow when passing pedestrians.
Here's a radical idea... leave it as-is, with minor repairs. No massive tree-felling program. No need for signs, restrictions, policing, bollards, speed limits ect. Leave it as an unsigned, rural path open to all. Spend the £7m on a more worthy cause.
"Sustrans, who are predominantly a cycling organisation, also intend to promote the path to commuter cyclists" - What am I missing here? I thought that encouraging people to commute by bike was A Good Thing? I don't recall there being very many spacious roads and cycle lanes suitable for commuting anywhere within about fifty miles of Whitby...
I've been trying to feed in our experience with the Two Tunnels and particularly the maintenance nightmare that is the permissive path between Midford and Wellow.
Speed is easily dealt with by providing a good width providing the necessary space to interact. However any move to make it more 'natural' is always put within the context of 'slowing down speeding cyclists', but in reality ends up being 'no disabled access'.
You basically have a bunch of walkers who like what it is as it works for them. It could be so so so much more.
If it's a good option to commute along. Buy a cross bike on c2w don't worry about the surface. Get a bell or horn and cycle appropriately if it's quiet belt along slow down when passing folk.
"Cyclists who wish to speed" - what does this even mean?
Anyway, what these petition signers don't seem to realise is that by Sustrans handling this, they're probably going to get the least freindly cycle track available, which should not only help cut down on speeding cyclists, but the numbers of cyclists who actually want to use it!
5,000 cyclists have already attempted the record on the cindertrack from Robin Hoods Bay to Ravenscar. (source...Strava). This is an uphill route, and average speeds for top riders are in the 30kph range. Imagine the speeds if the track is rideable on a TT bike.
Why we ned this beautiful, tree-lined paradise turning into a cyclists motorway I do not know. The existing Sustrans proposals are costed at £7million plus, but literally thousands of people have aked for simple, cheap minor repairs. Why do we need these 'improvements'?
PS There are literally a handful of people who are likely to use small sections of this route for commuting. Scarborough has high levels of unemployment, and the vast majority of people who work in Whitby do not live anywhere near the line. I would guess that less than 20 cyclists would commute regularly by bike on the Northern half of the line. Hardly justifies a £7m spend, does it.
And...it's perfectly rideable as-is. The slow-growing trees earmarked for destruction (400+) are currently providing excellent protection from the fierce Northerly gales we get in this area.
Just to clarify these stats, is that 5,000 cyclists or attempted 5,000 times by cyclists (20 cyclists commuting this daily could get 5,000 attempts in a year) and over what sort of period are we talking? 5,000 individual cyclists over a month is a lot, over a year is not that many, over more than a year is hardly any.
Surely an area of high unemployment is exactly the sort of place that needs an infrastructure that can allow people to get into work for little cost?