Tag: Sustrans

Q&A with a Sustrans Ranger

Posted on by Secretary

SPOKES Secretary Clive Tombs is also a local Sustrans Volunteer Ranger – part of a network of wonderful people who give up their time on a regular basis to help look after the National Cycle Network. He kindly agreed to answer a few questions to provide us with some insights about his role.

So what is a Sustrans Ranger?
Sustrans’ Volunteer Rangers get actively involved in maintaining sections of the National Cycle Network (NCN).  It’s great to get out in the fresh air and to do something positive to maintain and improve paths that get used by people on a daily basis to get to work or college, pop to the shops, or just for leisure.

What section of the NCN do you look after?
The local Ranger team looks after the section of NCN Route 4 from Bedwyn through Newbury and Thatcham, to where we meet the Reading group’s section at Woolhampton canal bridge. It’s quite a long stretch! 

What sort of things do you typically do?
Our main activities are: cycling (or walking) the route section/s to carry out checks; cutting back vegetation that is encroaching on the NCN routes; cleaning, checking and where appropriate replacing signs; and reporting issues to partner organisations such as the Canal & River Trust. 

What is the time commitment for a Ranger?
It’s really as much time as you can give, but the guideline is 3 to 4 hours a month.

Are there other Rangers that help you?
At the moment there’s only a couple of active volunteers, so it would be great to have a few more to help out with maintenance and keeping the route in good shape.  It’s great being able to have a coffee and a chat part way through the day, as well as doing something positive and practical!   Helen, the Sustrans’ regional volunteer co-ordinator, is based in Reading and comes to join us too.

What happens when you find something that you can’t fix?
That depends on what it is and where it is!  If it’s an issue with the condition of the towpath, it gets reported to the Canal & River Trust.  If it’s something on the public roads, it gets reported to West Berkshire Council via their website. We have offered Canal & River Trust the opportunity of some joint work, under their risk assessment, but that offer is yet to be taken up.

If someone is interested in becoming a Ranger, how do they go about it?
Visit the ‘Volunteer with Sustrans’ webpage: sustrans.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer. This will give you more of a flavour of what the large group of volunteers across the country does to maintain the vast network of NCN routes. Alternatively, you can talk to our local volunteer coordinator about the role:

Helen Fisher
Volunteer Coordinator | England South
RISC | 35-39 London Street | Reading | RG1 4PS
07500 833 152 | 0118 958 1712 | @Volcosoutheast

Sustrans South of England NCN Review

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The National Cycle Network is over 20 years old now, with over 16,500 miles of signed cycle routes across the UK. Over a period of two years from 2015-2016, Sustrans has been working with partners, stakeholders, staff and volunteers to conduct a comprehensive review of the network. SPOKES attended the launch event for the review of the South of England portion of the network.

As part of the review, Sustrans developed a Level of Service scoring system based on four route quality indicators:

  • Surface quality
  • Wayfinding and signage
  • Flow
  • Traffic-related safety

Each section of the NCN has been assessed and scored using these criteria, and have then been assigned to one of four classifications ranging from Very Poor to Very Good. Across the South of England, the network has been graded as follows:

  • Very good – 38 miles
  • Good – 2,294 miles
  • Poor – 207 miles
  • Very poor – 1,259 miles.

Just  over 40% of the issues on the NCN in the South of England are related to traffic safety concerns, with 22% due to surface quality, 20% signage and 17% flow issues.

Physical review and action plans have been developed for each of the Sustrans geographical regions. These define the state of the network and outline strategic priorities. 

A series of ‘Activation Projects’ has been identified for each area. These have been chosen to reflect a range of project types, geographical areas and deliverability. It is hoped that these projects will build momentum for the wider revitalisation of the network. The action plans are backed up with full network development plans that set out long-term, detailed plans for the entire network. 

We were delighted to hear that the Kennet and Avon Canal between Thatcham and Southcote Lock has been selected as one of the Activation Projects for the South of England. This section has been highlighted by Sustrans as being in urgent need of surfacing improvements.

SPOKES is seeking to prioritise the section between Colthrop and Cranwell’s swing bridge. We have costed the repairs for this element at around £250,000. We have set up a funding proposal on the Good Exchange in an effort to secure funding from the Greenham Common Trust and other grant-making bodies.

We hope to submit a further bid to secure funding from Veolia’s Landfill Trust scheme and we are also liaising with West Berkshire Council to see if there are opportunities to secure developer funding from sites along the canal.

The initial responses to our fund-raising efforts have been positive and we hope to be able to make an announcement soon.

National Cycle Network Review

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Sustrans is currently undertaking a review of the National Cycle Network and is inviting people to respond to a survey about its future.  Sustrans was the originator of the NCN, bidding initially for £42 million of Lottery Funding to deliver the initial 5,000 mile network. The goal was subsequently increased to 10,000 miles and today, it has grown to a network of over 14,000 miles.

The survey is seeking input on a vision for the NCN and the characteristics that the network should aspire to. It goes on to ask about how the NCN should be improved. The final section of the survey asks about how important it is for local communities and individuals to be involved in looking after the National Cycle Network and what role they should have.

Spokes has been concerned for some time about the state of NCN4 within West Berkshire.  Much of the route follows the Kennet and Avon canal towpath and the wash from passing narrow boats has gradually eroded the banks, while boats pulling on mooring pegs have torn chunks out of the bank. Also, the the crushed aggregate path has narrowed over much of its length as a result of grass incursion to the extent that what was once a 2m wide path is now less than 30cm wide in places.   As a result, the condition of the towpath has deteriorated to the extent that certain sections are no longer considered safe to use by cyclists.

Through the Cycle Forum, Spokes has engaged with Sustrans, the Canal and River Trust and West Berkshire Council to highlight the problems. Although Sustrans has made efforts to undertake minor, routine tasks such as vegetation clearance through its volunteer network, it does not have ultimate responsibility for maintenance of the network. Similarly, the Canal and River Trust does not have sufficient funds to carry out all the improvements that are needed to bring NCN4 up to an acceptable standard.

West Berkshire Council has secured developer contributions from the racecourse housing site to upgrade the section of towpath towards Newbury Town Centre. However, there are no developments from which contributions can be levied to address the worst affected sections, which are in rural locations towards Marsh Benham and east of Colthrop.

Spokes is currently exploring options to secure grant funding through the Veolia Environmental Fund for the section to he east of Colthrop. However, even if the bid is successful, it will be just a drop in the ocean.

The National Cycle Network requires millions of pounds to be spent to bring it up to standard, but, unless more people express their concerns, then this funding will not be forthcoming. So please do take part in the Sustrans survey and ask them to lobby central government for the necessary funds to restore the NCN to a high quality walking and cycling network.

 

 

National Cycle Network Appeal

Posted on by Secretary

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Pretty much anyone who cycles in the UK will at some point have encountered the National Cycle Network – a series of safe, traffic-free paths and quiet on-road cycling and walking routes that connect cities, towns and villages up and down the land.

This audacious project was brought into being by the sustainable transport charity Sustrans. Their first project was the Bristol to Bath cycle track, which followed the line of the disused railway line.  During the summer of 1979 five miles of usable pathway were completed by an army of volunteers. By the early 1990s they had built cycle paths all over the country, but they weren’t linked together. So, in 1995, Sustrans campaigned and won the first ever grant from the Millennium Commission for £42.5 million to create a UK-wide network of high-quality, convenient routes. Today, the Network passes within a mile of half of all UK homes and stretches over 14,000 miles across the length and breadth of the country.

TV presenter and travel writer, Nicholas Crane, is championing a BBC Radio 4 Appeal for Sustrans to raise vital funds for the National Cycle Network in its 20th year. You can listen to the appeal on the BBC website. The money raised will help Sustrans to maintain and enhance the Network, and provide their volunteers with the training and equipment they need to carry out this vital work. You can help by donating; spreading the word to colleagues, friends and family; and sharing news of Sustrans’ appeal on social media. But hurry – donations close at 7:00AM this Sunday, 13 September.

We are hopeful that at least some of the funds raised will be allocated to carry out much needed maintenance work on NCN4, which connects Fishguard to London, passing through West Berkshire along the way, following the Kennet and Avon Canal towpath for much of its length. Although the route is popular for both utility and recreational cycling the path has been badly neglected. In places, the grass has encroached to such an extent that the path is less than a foot wide. In other places, the top coat of the towpath has been worn away exposing the larger stones beneath, which makes for uncomfortable cycling. Also, increasing levels of usage within urban areas has exposed the inadequate width of the path, leading to some conflict and ill-feeling between different user groups. Spokes will therefore be writing to Sustans and the Canal and River Trust, who have responsibility for the day-to-day maintenance of the path to push for NCN4 to be at the top of the investment list and make it fit for purposes again, and restore the legacy for future generations.