Sustrans

Jonah2940

Has anybody had any dealings with Sustrans?
I've applied twice to become a volunteer ranger and had no response at all.
I phoned them the first time and was told my details must have got lost and was told to send them again. I emailed them to a manager and have heard nothing again.
I'm not very impressed and don't think I want to give up my time for them if they can't be bothered with basic politeness.

Clever Pun

I give a little money each month

BentMikey

I don't think Sustrans are a pro-cycling charity. They're so pro-path, that they encourage the view that cyclists shouldn't be on the road. With their current stance, my money will go elsewhere, to the CTC and LCC for example.

Jonah2940

I definitely wouldn't contribute to their cause now. I only wanted to become a Ranger as I use the NCN route for a majority of my commute (alternative is a very busy A road) and wanted to help in it's upkeep. I would have thought being a charity they would have jumped at the chance for an extra volunteer.

Parkey

I hate pavement paths, but near me sustrans have recently opened up a nice off-road track along the route of a former railway which I now use to get to work. For that alone they are in my good books.

Unfortunately local residents seem to think signs saying "National Cycle Route 44" read as "Dog lavatory"

Keiron Curtis

Dear Jonah2940,

I agree with you if they can overlook the chance of a new volunteer,they're obviously not very well organised,very similar to the quangos we have a plethora of here in Wales.

What is the state of the NCN you use for your commute?There are some excellent ones I can use in South Wales,but as you say they are used for dog latrines,now horrendously more and more idiots are using them as glass smashing alleys.

Consequently,the fear of flats makes me prefer the roads! Whose responsibility is it to clear it all up.The cycle paths alongside the M4 around Neath/Swansea and Port Talbot/Aberavon are particularly bad.

Are Sustrans liable for getting volunteers out to clear it all up?

If it could help prevent me getting flats I'd volunteer myself.

Anyone else have any thoughts on the matter?

Jonah2940

I live in Ynystawe Keiron so use Route 43 daily to the city centre. Some parts are great but others are overgrown and have been in better condition. Like you say they're usually full of glass so I've invested in some puncture resitant tyres. Dread to think otherwise.
I'm going to get in touch with them tomorrow and let you know their response.

Pat920

Persevere - I'm sure they'd welcome your help.

You may get a better reaction from the "tour" section of the forum - Commuters are more interested in the direct route to work rather than the scenic route!

pw1brown

Agree with Pat920 - persevere. Like Jonah, I applied twice to be a volunteer, but didn't get a response... until several months later, when I got an e-mail from a local ranger asking me to join him for a cycle so we could discuss it. Unfortunately by then I'd taken on other activities and couldn't help any longer. They do seem to have a real problem with the time it takes to give us feedback, but they are out there somewhere (doing good work, in my opinion).

spring91

2 weeks ago I emailed jobs@sustrans.org requesting an application pack for Bike It officer jobs they were advertising. I did not receive anything in the post or any reply to my email.

The deadline has passed so it is their loss!

blackpuddinonnabike

I'm still undecided on Sustrans - there are pros and cons, does one outweigh the other?

http://www.citycycling.co.uk/issue28/issue28page29.html