Cyclists greet towpath revamp (From Worcester News)
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Cyclists greet towpath revamp
9:50am Thursday 25th February 2010 in News
TOWPATH RESURFACED: Coun Derek Prodger, left, Henry Harbord, Jason Leach and keen cyclist coun Margaret Layland at lock three, Commandery Lock, in Sidbury. Buy this photo »
THE first section of a £750,000 foot and cycleway towpath is opening to the public.
The fully-completed pathway along the Worcester and Birmingham Canal will involve resurfacing 4.5 miles in all, and link the Diglis Basin near the city centre with Sixways rugby ground, to the north-east.
It is due to be finished in spring when transport and tourist chiefs hope it will benefit visitors to the city.
The work is being carried out by British Waterways, Worcestershire County Council, Worcester City Council and sustainable transport charity Sustrans.
When finished, it will connect a sports centre and two schools to the path.
Coun Derek Prodger, county council transport chief, said: “This work will help create better cycling and walking routes for the schools nearby, which compliments our school travel plan work and helps reduce congestion meaning safer, healthier journeys for everyone.”
Comments(12)
rgdudley
says...
9:56am Thu 25 Feb 10
.
They always seem to be on a footpath, taking part of a road and now stealing the towpath.
.
I suppose the towpath will now be a no go area for walkers due to the manic cyclists thinking they now own it as well.
MrStJohns
says...
10:00am Thu 25 Feb 10
Here’s another question, why do people always have to find negatives in everything that happens?
New cycle paths are great and are in no way going to stop anyone using the canal towpath to walk on, only recently people where complaining about lack of maintenance to towpaths now money is being spent on them people complain about something else, will it ever end?!
New Kid on the Block
says...
10:30am Thu 25 Feb 10
Living near this path I am definitely in favour of a well surfaced cycleway that would let me cycle into town.
High Time
says...
10:32am Thu 25 Feb 10
rgdudley wrote:Parts of it as become a dogs toilet thanks to the inconsiderate dog walkers who think because its away from public highway its ok for there dogs to foul the towpath without having to clean it up,but if the scheme gets more people on there bikes lets have more of the same.
Why do "new" cycleways always seem to steal something from someone else? . They always seem to be on a footpath, taking part of a road and now stealing the towpath. . I suppose the towpath will now be a no go area for walkers due to the manic cyclists thinking they now own it as well.
brooksider
says...
1:26pm Thu 25 Feb 10
New Kid on the Block wrote:Correct, cycling has always been allowed on this stretch of towpath and excess speed by cyclists has been a problem for years, that is why they installed stiles along the path to slow them down.
Towpaths were originally used by horses that towed the canal barges. Bicycles are allowed on bridleways. Surely this means that cycling is automaticaly allowed on a canal towpath and this is not a new cycleway. Living near this path I am definitely in favour of a well surfaced cycleway that would let me cycle into town.
The story is just another attempt for Derek Prodger to justify his salary.
TmP
says...
1:49pm Thu 25 Feb 10
I good idea to update the towpath although it has always been used by cycles although it does seem expensive.
brooksider
says...
2:15pm Thu 25 Feb 10
TmP wrote:Please explain.
I do wish people would learn the difference between their and there and where and were. I good idea to update the towpath although it has always been used by cycles although it does seem expensive.
tinateabg
says...
6:02pm Thu 25 Feb 10
rgdudley
says...
7:23pm Thu 25 Feb 10
MrStJohns wrote:But that is precisely my point. This is NOT A NEW CYCLEWAY. It is the old towpath that has just been surfaced. From the bit I've seen it is not any wider than it was and you couldn't pass two cycles easily let alone two cycles and some pedestrians (and fishermen) etc.
Why do "new" cycleways always seem to steal something from someone else? Here’s another question, why do people always have to find negatives in everything that happens? New cycle paths are great and are in no way going to stop anyone using the canal towpath to walk on, only recently people where complaining about lack of maintenance to towpaths now money is being spent on them people complain about something else, will it ever end?!
.
If they had actually built a new cycleway I would be very happy, but they haven’t. You are all being taken in by the marketing hype.
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A friend of mine almost drowned in the canal after cycling into it on the way home from school. How long is it going to be before we have calls to fence off the path from the water if the numbers increase as everyone seems to wish?
Olga
says...
9:24am Fri 26 Feb 10
(b) folks like me wouldn't have heard about a good job being done like this.
I appreciate folks views on dog mess but a facility like this is good news - I may even bring my pushbike down this way soon to use it (and probably spend small cash while there) Can we have more of this sort of thing please ?- even if it means sufering the DP publicity machine showing he is actually doing something.
.
ps. Thanks and Well Done
TriedAndTested
says...
11:06pm Fri 26 Feb 10
The towpath beyond the M5 is awful. It does have some nice parts that have been updated but the rest is dire.
Disabled access to the canal is unacceptable beyond Blackpole. Too many access points are only suitable for people on foot.
Energetic
says...
4:34pm Sat 27 Feb 10
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