[john horscroft]

Work to create a new 2 metre wide gritstone aggregate bridlepath parallel to the Hathersage Road between the Stoney Ridge Car Park and Piper House Gate is due to start soon.  If you feel this is a bad idea, contact the Sheffield City Council rights of way dept at publicrightsofway@sheffield.gov.uk and let them know what you think.  If you want to know anything more about this, pm me.

[mr__j5]

I assume this is an upgrade from the existing footpath. Which would result in a much nicer alternative than having to ride down the main road and right turn off it on a fast bend to get to the current start of the bridleway.

So is the issue, just the laying of garvel on it to make it specifically unrider friendly ?

[Dolly]

Doesn't it mean getting rid of that lovely twisty footwide singletrack ?

[fatdoc]

b'ways that become formal, as opposed to concessional have the be a certain width.  That's why we went for concession there a few years ago. It may have time expired, so needs review. It's popularity may mean it's down destined to be 2m wide, not a council decision. Mad, but true.

having read the minutes of the blakka moor user group I'm doubtful you will get support for the path to be kept concessional, MTBer have been  - in many users eyes - been running amok in blakka... both legal and not so. there is an appreciation the sport is blooming, but they are not happy.

Devils elbow may be next, certainly the bottom section. This is supposition and my interpretation of the minutes. MTB presence at this meeting is poor. I haven't got there for 18 months, I don't know many others that go. The usual turn out is about 12, they have  a lot of sway in how the wildlife trust manage this land.

[john horscroft]

I assume this is an upgrade from the existing footpath. Which would result in a much nicer alternative than having to ride down the main road and right turn off it on a fast bend to get to the current start of the bridleway.

So is the issue, just the laying of garvel on it to make it specifically unrider friendly ?

  Correct, correct and correct.  Although the path is to be wide and flat, over time it should become colonised by encroaching flora from the fringes, which should soften the overall urbanisation.  Not great but may well be a done deal....

[john horscroft]

Doesn't it mean getting rid of that lovely twisty footwide singletrack ?

Yes Dolly it does 

[john horscroft]

b'ways that become formal, as opposed to concessional have the be a certain width.  That's why we went for concession there a few years ago. It may have time expired, so needs review. It's popularity may mean it's down destined to be 2m wide, not a council decision. Mad, but true.

having read the minutes of the blakka moor user group I'm doubtful you will get support for the path to be kept concessional, MTBer have been  - in many users eyes - been running amok in blakka... both legal and not so. there is an appreciation the sport is blooming, but they are not happy.

Devils elbow may be next, certainly the bottom section. This is supposition and my interpretation of the minutes. MTB presence at this meeting is poor. I haven't got there for 18 months, I don't know many others that go. The usual turn out is about 12, they have  a lot of sway in how the wildlife trust manage this land.

 


I've managed to get along to a couple of these, but not the last one.  We need to ensure there's some MB presence at every meeting or our influence will be nil.  And FD is bang on here.  MBers have begun to flock to Blacka for obvious reasons and it doesn't necessarily go down well with the other user groups.  We need to mind our p's and q's and ensure we make alliances with other user groups, not enemies.   

[Dolly]

Is this from the Moor's user group John ?
Aren't they subject to the council ?

[john horscroft]

Is this from the Moor's user group John ?
Aren't they subject to the council ?

The user group, ie, Blackamoor Reserve Advisory Group, have a say, but can only advise.  The Sheffield wildlife trust want to turn the path into a bridleway, but can only do that with council money and they're the ones who are insisting on this specification of path.  SWT aren't really all that happy with the spec either but don't get a choice!  Hope that helps!

[Norton Sharley]

So, as john said in the OP, we should all be writing to publicrightsofway@sheffield.gov.uk to place our objections to the 'motorway'.  Or your satisfaction if you are that way inclined of course.

Bump.

[burned]

why object? surely surfacing of the track will greatly reduce erosion and also reduce conflicts between usergroups all trying to use a 1 foot piece of singletrack? Paint lines down the middle to keep the dog walkers in their own lane.. or just ban them all together   

[Norton Sharley]

Because as far as I can see / experience
 - there is no conflict between users
 - there is little erosion
 - what erosion there is is not detrimental to any of the users and does not justify the cost of repair
 - a 2m wide gravel path is more unsightly and boring for all users except the mythical 'less abled' - who has ever seen a wheelchair up there?
 - I would prefer my council tax to be spent on something useful like fixing the roads

This is a  case of bureaucracy overtaking common sense.  Lots of parties want the bridleway status, no one wants a 2m wide gravel track.

[burned]

I totally agree, a 2m gravel road is far more unsightly than a natural path, but its fair to say that there is not enough space for a bike, a walker and his dog on 1 ft of singletrack. There is also the point that walkers dont like to go through muddy puddles in the same way that we do and widen trails. Any erosion there is only makes it more fun for us, but at the end of the day, it should be about whats best for the trail and surrounding fauna.

Its a fair argument about wheelchair access though, many will argue that they are not up there just now because there is no access, but again, how many more are we likely to see up there after the trail has been turned into a motorway? not many, but is it fair to deny them access? We may see more "weekend" cyclists though, and that can only be a good thing for the sport.

[Norton Sharley]

So from the communication I've had with the rightsofway peeps at the Council this appears to be a done deal for the benefit of user groups who are currently unable to access this path.     Last year it was cows we had to watch out for, this year it'll be the hordes of wheelchair users.

[slackline]

Did they provide an guesstimates as to how many potential users will use/benefit from this, as that would seem to be fundamental to the justification (but then when has sense ever stood in the way of council/government doing anything?).

[Norton Sharley]

Err, no.  As per JH note below - the tail is now firmly wagging the dog. 

[Dolly]

I've noticed there's quote a big range of hills between Sheffield and Manchester - they should probably be flattened as well

[Norton Sharley]

Don't joke about it!  You see that little path that's started from Burbage Bridge to the start of Burbage West so that the less abled can get access that little seat that they've put in, it's going to be extended.  Maybe.

[fatkid2000]

You would have thought with the cuts, that they could spend money on something more useful - like repairing the 2 foot pothole outside my house.

The less abled who want to access the country will - they find a way and don't expect a flat path to get them there - they're more determined than that.