East Lancashire set to become the country’s top cycling destination (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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East Lancashire set to become the country’s top cycling destination
4:09pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in News
RIDING HIGH Lancashire has some of best trails
EAST Lancashire is set to become the country’s top cycling destination.
Lancashire Sports Partnership (LSP) is working on plans with the county and borough councils to integrate schemes already under way, and attract enthusiasts from across the country.
Nick Briggs of LSP highlighted cycling projects already under way at Gisburn Forest, at Lee Quarry, Bacup, and on the Towneley Loop, Burnley, as well as ongoing plans in Blackpool, Preston and Lancaster as a cycle town.
He said: “We want to co-ordinate them all, get the cycle experience branded, and get it publicised.
“The idea is to get Lancashire as the cycle county of the UK, and that will stimulate tourism and jobs.
“A visitor can get a total experience by finding out where to hire a bike, which hostel to stay in, where to get equipment and refreshments.”
LSP and Rossendale Council are now working on a grant application to Sport England for a ‘trailhead facility’ at Lee Quarry, with showers and changing rooms.
Nick added: “We want the Olympics to leave a legacy in the area where the profile of cycling and clubs is raised, and people want to have a go.”
Brian Cookson, president of British Cycling, who works for Pendle Council, has backed the initiative. “East Lancs has a massive potential for cycling,” he said.
“And there would be knock-on effects for improving health and the local economy.
“In the times of economic doom and gloom, this is something East Lancs can be very positive about.”
Tony Lund, county council countryside officer, said: “The schemes are constantly being updated and worked on, and we’ve already tried linking them up through existing bridleways.”
Comments(20)
sean_brfc
says...
5:21pm Fri 3 Feb 12
happycyclist
says...
5:32pm Fri 3 Feb 12
sean_brfc wrote:I'll second that. The West Pennine Loop, a circuit of the West Pennine Moors giving access to a large number of people to the moors, which was started by Lancashire County Council, seems to have stalled, especially over Accrington/Baxenden/
You would be stupid and ignorant to forget the West Pennine Moors (and some are!). The paths around Darwen are amongst the best in the country. I would like to see some bridleways built in Hoddlesden Moss and linked to Edgworth and Pickup Bank. This would really make Darwen a cycling capital.
Helmshore way.
It would be good if LSP could finish that off and promote it more.
living the end times in BB1
says...
6:02pm Fri 3 Feb 12
happycyclist wrote:No point wasting anytime posting dribble on here then. You have only got 319 days left to get up there and enjoy it.
sean_brfc wrote:I'll second that. The West Pennine Loop, a circuit of the West Pennine Moors giving access to a large number of people to the moors, which was started by Lancashire County Council, seems to have stalled, especially over Accrington/Baxenden/
You would be stupid and ignorant to forget the West Pennine Moors (and some are!). The paths around Darwen are amongst the best in the country. I would like to see some bridleways built in Hoddlesden Moss and linked to Edgworth and Pickup Bank. This would really make Darwen a cycling capital.
Helmshore way.
It would be good if LSP could finish that off and promote it more.
happycyclist
says...
6:18pm Fri 3 Feb 12
burner
says...
7:35pm Fri 3 Feb 12
happycyclist
says...
8:22pm Fri 3 Feb 12
burner wrote:There are millions of ramblers who wouldn't agree with you there!
ok, I'll go with off-road. That's fine. . . . . . . . . but to put the words "cycle" and "town" next to each other is asking for trouble. Are not roads busy enough? Are motorists not distracted enough? Aren't our streets dangerous as it is?
Everybody hates us, we don't care.
happycyclist
says...
8:25pm Fri 3 Feb 12
I actually think that promoting East Lancs as good cycling country is idiotic. Ribble Valley, perhaps, the Bowland Forest, maybe, but not East Lancs as I understand the term.
mr beer belly
says...
10:35pm Fri 3 Feb 12
Forever Blue
says...
10:43pm Fri 3 Feb 12
burner
says...
11:24pm Fri 3 Feb 12
.
Don't let the snow drift into your bell tomorrow :)
sean_brfc
says...
9:40am Sat 4 Feb 12
burner wrote:Cycling isn't safe because there are too many cars. If there was a significant shift to cycling the roads would be safer. Unfortunately Brits are lazy sods.
happyc, you KNOW I don't hate cyclists . . . . I just think it's not a safe mode of transport in towns or on main roads.
.
Don't let the snow drift into your bell tomorrow :)
Reboundsuspension
says...
12:38pm Sat 4 Feb 12
.com/groups/rivingto
nmtb/
happycyclist
says...
12:46pm Sat 4 Feb 12
What a complete joke. I'm an experienced cyclist of 35 years and familiar with Blackburn as a town. Someone will be seriously hurt or killed around there. Insane.
Izanears
says...
10:01am Sun 5 Feb 12
Forever Blue wrote:I cannot agree more F.B. I have had many a country walk ruined by hordes of lycra clad loonies whizzing through narrow lanes. From their attitude and rude comments I got the impression that they think that the countryside is solely for their pleasure.
Gisburn Forest was a lovely quiet place to get off road and chill out now full of lyrca clad day trippers with no idea , no bike skills, and car bike racks with to much money !!
Izanears
says...
10:01am Sun 5 Feb 12
Forever Blue wrote:I cannot agree more F.B. I have had many a country walk ruined by hordes of lycra clad loonies whizzing through narrow lanes. From their attitude and rude comments I got the impression that they think that the countryside is solely for their pleasure.
Gisburn Forest was a lovely quiet place to get off road and chill out now full of lyrca clad day trippers with no idea , no bike skills, and car bike racks with to much money !!
Chris P Bacon
says...
10:30am Sun 5 Feb 12
Izanears wrote:Firstly, I don't believe you and secondly, if this was a 'country walk', the riders a) wouldn't wear lycra (MTB riders don't) and b) there would certainly not be 'hordes' of them.
Forever Blue wrote:I cannot agree more F.B. I have had many a country walk ruined by hordes of lycra clad loonies whizzing through narrow lanes. From their attitude and rude comments I got the impression that they think that the countryside is solely for their pleasure.
Gisburn Forest was a lovely quiet place to get off road and chill out now full of lyrca clad day trippers with no idea , no bike skills, and car bike racks with to much money !!
My guess is you're complaining primarily because you are jealous of fit people yourself or you are tarring ALL cyclists with the same brush as you met one idiot who was rude to you.
sean_brfc
says...
10:54am Sun 5 Feb 12
Izanears wrote:Typical walker. I would suggest that it is generally walkers that think they own the countryside and look down their noses when a cyclist goes a bit too fast for their liking. I cannot stand walkers who have absolutely no tolerance.
Forever Blue wrote:I cannot agree more F.B. I have had many a country walk ruined by hordes of lycra clad loonies whizzing through narrow lanes. From their attitude and rude comments I got the impression that they think that the countryside is solely for their pleasure.
Gisburn Forest was a lovely quiet place to get off road and chill out now full of lyrca clad day trippers with no idea , no bike skills, and car bike racks with to much money !!
Keep Darwen Green
says...
12:04pm Sun 5 Feb 12
Chris P Bacon
says...
9:02pm Sun 5 Feb 12
't-stop-my-stupidity from the blight on human knowledge there.
There is no such thing as road tax. Winston Churchill abolished it in the 1950s.
VED, as it rightly should be referred, has literally nothing to do with the upkeep of roads. That is taken care for out of EVERYone's taxes, NI and council rates whether they drive or not. And any vehicle that produces little or no environmental damage pays accordingly. Ie, cyclists rightly pay nothing since they produce no environmental damage.
And ANYone with more than three brain cells KNOWS that cyclists who shave their legs do so to minimise infection from road-rash in the event of a crash and an easing of plasters and bandages on the wounds thereby caused.
But never let facts stand in the way of righteous indignation, eh?
happycyclist says...
4:27pm Fri 3 Feb 12