All cycle routes lead to E Lancs (From Lancashire Telegraph)

All cycle routes lead to E Lancs

4:21pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in Opinion By Telegraph comment

EAST Lancashire has many things to be proud of, and the quality of the cycling available is now very much one of them.

The area can rightly market itself as one of the UK’s top destinations for cyclists, if not THE top. And it is not just a major centre aimed at extreme sports enthusiasts.

It is the mixture of facilities available that makes East Lancashire a special place for cyclists.

As well as the Pennine Lancashire Adrenaline Gateway, including Lee Quarry, near Stacksteads, we have the nationally-renowned Gisburn Forest trails.

But on the other side of the coin we also have the canal paths, greenways and former rail lines for the more casual bikers which take advantage of our industrial heritage and areas of natural beauty.

The benefits of establishing East Lancashire as an area of excellence for cycling brings with it obvious benefits.

The prospects for employment and economic growth on the back of these projects are huge.

There is a large target audience across the country that we can tap into so that they spend their money within East Lancashire and enjoy themselves too.