Sustrans - oddly named imo

downfader

I think the comments that leisure to commuter are fair tbh. I'll admit I myself made the move without Sustrans, but yes I can see it happening and obviously that means we should encourage them.

However I do still think the "sustainable transport" bit is a bit misleading or a bit ironic. Perhaps if they come forward, do some publicity (they can use youtube/their website etc on the cheap) explaining what else they do.

The Bristol railway route is kind of famous and an ideal. It would be great if other routes could be done like this. The work they do for school kids is fine, but I do wonder if it will lead to young adults who have little or no proper road experience and that other problems arise as a result. :? Perhaps I'm being slightly pessimistic here though

Warwick Hunt

BiggerBoat wrote:

Salmon - We have f-all provisions here but are getting a Connect2nothing scheme which connects to well, nothing, but could easily link up 2 large centres of employment, but doesn't.

Are you talking about the one between Crewe & Nantwich by any chance? I go up the A530 on my commute (Wrenbury to Winsford) and it does get a little hairy at times. You would hope that something could be done to make it a little more accessible for cyclists, being the more direct route. It's not as if it isn't wide enough to do so.

Still, it goes right past a hospital so at least they won't have far to take me.

Mike Healey

BiggerBoat wrote:

Are we not all bike riders? Did we not progress to roads without Sustrans? I seem to remember so. Are we incapable now of progressing to roads without Sustrans?

Well, one poster has already answered this question. And, over the last 11 years we've recruited a number of kids, including the 3rd ranked U14 'cross rider in the country, on the local Sustrans Spen Valley Greenway. We also used it to get families accustomed to riding together in groups, so that we now have up to 40 people, ranging from 8 year olds (and younger ones on tandems or tagalongs) on our YHA weekends, riding 120+ miles over 2/3 days. And very few of these were club members, to start with.

The Greenway is aslo used by commuters and shoppers, as well as weekend/evening leisure/family riders.

A number of our parents now commute, by the way.

jgsi

I am assuming you are connected to SUSTRANS.
I applaud your 11 years of effort.

However, what has organising kids' clubs to do with
SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT ?

Again, the news is full of the dangers of road use and death....
I do not feel remotely comforted as I try to 'share' the road with insecure, incompetent, selfish and ignorant drivers by your worthy efforts, sorry.

I do not want to have to be segregated and sent miles out of my way to get from A to B.

simple_salmon

JGSI - maybe, just maybe the kids that grow up from a cycling culture will be more likely to cycle for transport in the future.

And you don't have to be segregated, you can choose (as I do) to use the roads. However, it may be the case that there are fewer cars on there or more drivers with experience of cycling because the Sustrans provided route has allowed more people to ride than before.

Just maybe.

jgsi

Damn it, you just forced me to look up their 'mission statement' and I have better things to do today....

reduce the environmental and resource impacts of transport
enable people to choose active travel more often
provide car-free access to essential local services
create streets and public spaces into places for people to enjoy

For an organisation in existence over 30 years, you aint got very far.

well I am off risking life and limb again...

simple_salmon

Where I live:

reduce the environmental and resource impacts of transport - YES
enable people to choose active travel more often - YES
provide car-free access to essential local services - YES
create streets and public spaces into places for people to enjoy - DEBATABLE

I've made the assumption that some of the cycle routes where I live have had some Sustrans input - I don't know about all of them for sure.

They've made more of an impact than many of us.

Not perfect, I agree, but we should support and not simply criticise, people who are trying to make things better.

Even better - offer your services.

I don't work for them BTW but I do have a role that promotes sustainable transport in it's various forms.

Keep safe wherever you choose to cycle

BiggerBoat

Warwick - Yes the A530 project between Crewe and Nantwich, a very lethal stretch of road, but as you say close to a big hospital, which is handy! The greenway is between Crewe and Nantwich. Nantwich is a smallish residential town, Crewe is a works town and larger. So what does the £1.4 million path Connect2?

Leighton Hospital: No
Bombardier Transport Works: No
Bentley Motor Works: No
Marshfield Bank Business Park: No
Crewe Business/Industrial Park: No
Reaseheath College: No
Crewe Park: Yes
Nantwich Park: Yes

For this £1.4 million you get 2 toucan crossings and an unlit dirt track. ~30 million vehicles registered to use UK roads. SUStainable TRANSport.

simple_salmon

So, get involved with them to improve things.

BiggerBoat

What do you think I have been doing for the past six months? I have stacks of letters and emails from desk jockeys to MP's. Deaf ears, deaf ears, deaf ears....

eh

Are you serious? More than the motoring lobby? More than speeding cars that frighten and kill? More than the Top Gear mentality? More than poor sentancing of motoring offences that allows people to keep their licences when they really shouldn't be allowed to drive any more?

Yes.

1) Many Sustrian routes are cr*p and useless (see plenty of posts above), by choosing routes that go on fast roads or ones with heavy lorry traffic they put people off, or worse. Equally while muddy tracks are safer they are useless for commuters and serious riders, and encourage the mentality of car drivers that cyclists should stay off the roads.

2) Sustrians get funding from the tax payer and are also seen by government agencies as the voice of the "cyclist". This is funding that could go to the likes of preventing speeding/poor driving etc. And in my old area they even agreed with the council that cyclists should be banned from using a major road, which ironically leads to a velodrome.

3) Top Gear is a red herring if ever there was one, most cyclists I know watch it, but don't drive like d*cks. Same as listening to Hip-Hop doesn't force people to shoot others etc.

These people are wasting tax payers money and giving sh*t advice. The whole lot should be wound up.

simple_salmon

Point taken but have you spoken/contacted Sustrans to discuss how they use their money and to raise concerns about the suitability of the projects?

IIRC the Connect2 money was voted on by the public wasn't it? If so then there must be some support for the scheme you've described - sorry if I've got that wrong.

BiggerBoat

Point taken but have you spoken/contacted Sustrans to discuss how they use their money and to raise concerns about the suitability of the projects?

IIRC the Connect2 money was voted on by the public wasn't it? If so then there must be some support for the scheme you've described - sorry if I've got that wrong.

First port of call, got the usual "Thank you for your letter" BS. I believe a large chunk of the money was lottery and they applied for it. Sustrans is a charity, they are not accountable to the public. You can't join them, like the National Trust. You can become a "supporter" though. Some local authorities are having Sustrans guide them (ie do the work) in setting up local schemes so that cuts out some of the local input.