Connect2

Re: Connect2

On 26 Nov, 13:34, squeaker <mdcro...@which.net> wrote:
> Voting for the The Peoples' Lottery £50million Giveaway (so whose
> money is/was it anyway!) is now open.
> The Connect2 project to provide 'hard' infrastructure links at 79
> locations in the UK might be of interest to those who frequent this
> forum. I appreciate it's Sustrans connection may turn some off, but I
> can only suggest that you visit thepeoples50million.org.uk and make
> your own minds up as to which of the 4 projects would be in cycling's
> best interest.

I've no intention of voting for Sustrans.

Re: Connect2

On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 02:48:02 -0800 (PST), LSMike
<mikeskates@googlemail.com> wrote:

>On 26 Nov, 13:34, squeaker <mdcro...@which.net> wrote:
>> Voting for the The Peoples' Lottery £50million Giveaway (so whose
>> money is/was it anyway!) is now open.
>> The Connect2 project to provide 'hard' infrastructure links at 79
>> locations in the UK might be of interest to those who frequent this
>> forum. I appreciate it's Sustrans connection may turn some off, but I
>> can only suggest that you visit thepeoples50million.org.uk and make
>> your own minds up as to which of the 4 projects would be in cycling's
>> best interest.
>
>I've no intention of voting for Sustrans.

It's a pitty you feel that way.

I cycled from south to north London on Sunday, almost entirely off
road on Sustrans track.

OK - so there were some issues with some of their gates, but to see
all those people enjoying a Sunday on a traffic free route in an urban
environment, much of it through the run down East End, was a delight.

For those interested, the route was, from Greenwich, upstream along
the North Thames Cycle Path, following the Limehouse Cut, and up the
River Lea to Harlow.

Re: Connect2

"LSMike" <mikeskates@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:d107e3c2-858e-4187-87e5-0a96940220d7@n20g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
On 26 Nov, 13:34, squeaker <mdcro...@which.net> wrote:
> Voting for the The Peoples' Lottery £50million Giveaway (so whose
> money is/was it anyway!) is now open.
> The Connect2 project to provide 'hard' infrastructure links at 79
> locations in the UK might be of interest to those who frequent this
> forum. I appreciate it's Sustrans connection may turn some off, but I
> can only suggest that you visit thepeoples50million.org.uk and make
> your own minds up as to which of the 4 projects would be in cycling's
> best interest.

I've no intention of voting for Sustrans.

Neither have I -- in fact I voted for the Sherwood Forest option which will
serve a huge catchment area but is devoted to a specific area. The Sustrans
option is very widespread and just more ways of pushing bicycles of the roads!
Not for me at all!

Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.
www.tapan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

Re: Connect2

Tom Crispin <kije.remove@this.bit.freeuk.com.munge> wrote:

> On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 02:48:02 -0800 (PST), LSMike
> <mikeskates@googlemail.com> wrote:
>
> >On 26 Nov, 13:34, squeaker <mdcro...@which.net> wrote:
> >> Voting for the The Peoples' Lottery £50million Giveaway (so whose
> >> money is/was it anyway!) is now open.
> >> The Connect2 project to provide 'hard' infrastructure links at 79
> >> locations in the UK might be of interest to those who frequent this
> >> forum. I appreciate it's Sustrans connection may turn some off, but I
> >> can only suggest that you visit thepeoples50million.org.uk and make
> >> your own minds up as to which of the 4 projects would be in cycling's
> >> best interest.
> >
> >I've no intention of voting for Sustrans.
>
> It's a pitty you feel that way.

to be honest i'd feel eden or possibly the black country have more to
offer.
>
> I cycled from south to north London on Sunday, almost entirely off
> road on Sustrans track.
>
i'm sure that it works in urban places, but they really don't seem to
understand that there are green bit inbetween, and so suburbanise
everything.

> OK - so there were some issues with some of their gates, but to see
> all those people enjoying a Sunday on a traffic free route in an urban
> environment, much of it through the run down East End, was a delight.
>
> For those interested, the route was, from Greenwich, upstream along
> the North Thames Cycle Path, following the Limehouse Cut, and up the
> River Lea to Harlow.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

Re: Connect2

"LSMike" <mikeskates@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:d107e3c2-858e-4187-87e5-0a96940220d7@n20g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
>On 26 Nov, 13:34, squeaker <mdcro...@which.net> wrote:
>> Voting for the The Peoples' Lottery £50million Giveaway (so whose
>> money is/was it anyway!) is now open.
>> The Connect2 project to provide 'hard' infrastructure links at 79
>> locations in the UK might be of interest to those who frequent this
>> forum. I appreciate it's Sustrans connection may turn some off, but I
>> can only suggest that you visit thepeoples50million.org.uk and make
>> your own minds up as to which of the 4 projects would be in cycling's
>> best interest.
>
>I've no intention of voting for Sustrans.

Same here. There's no way Sustrans will get my vote.

Re: Connect2

in message <srkok31ov9k5rdk10f2emvpdc5lclc7l5f@4ax.com>, Tom Crispin
('kije.remove@this.bit.freeuk.com.munge') wrote:

> On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 02:48:02 -0800 (PST), LSMike
> <mikeskates@googlemail.com> wrote:
>
>>On 26 Nov, 13:34, squeaker <mdcro...@which.net> wrote:
>>> Voting for the The Peoples' Lottery £50million Giveaway (so whose
>>> money is/was it anyway!) is now open.
>>> The Connect2 project to provide 'hard' infrastructure links at 79
>>> locations in the UK might be of interest to those who frequent this
>>> forum. I appreciate it's Sustrans connection may turn some off, but I
>>> can only suggest that you visit thepeoples50million.org.uk and make
>>> your own minds up as to which of the 4 projects would be in cycling's
>>> best interest.
>>
>>I've no intention of voting for Sustrans.
>
> It's a pitty you feel that way.
>
> I cycled from south to north London on Sunday, almost entirely off
> road on Sustrans track.

That is, in my opinion, the problem.

If the motoring lobby (in which one has to include Sustrans - by their
fruits shall ye know them) succeed in getting cyclists off the roads in
some areas, the already widespread attitude that cyclists 'shouldn't be on
the roads' will spread and harden, and we'll all be worse off.

The solution isn't building ghettos for cyclists. The solution is making
the roads safe for people.

I, too, shall not be voting for Sustrans.

--
simon@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
There's nae Gods, an there's precious few heroes
but there's plenty on the dole in th Land o th Leal;
And it's time now, tae sweep the future clear o
th lies o a past that we know wis never real.

Re: Connect2

In article <em7u15-jkb.ln1@gododdin.internal.jasmine.org.uk>,
simon@jasmine.org.uk says...
> in message <srkok31ov9k5rdk10f2emvpdc5lclc7l5f@4ax.com>, Tom Crispin
> ('kije.remove@this.bit.freeuk.com.munge') wrote:
>
> > On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 02:48:02 -0800 (PST), LSMike
> > <mikeskates@googlemail.com> wrote:
> >
> >>On 26 Nov, 13:34, squeaker <mdcro...@which.net> wrote:
> >>> Voting for the The Peoples' Lottery £50million Giveaway (so whose
> >>> money is/was it anyway!) is now open.
> >>> The Connect2 project to provide 'hard' infrastructure links at 79
> >>> locations in the UK might be of interest to those who frequent this
> >>> forum. I appreciate it's Sustrans connection may turn some off, but I
> >>> can only suggest that you visit thepeoples50million.org.uk and make
> >>> your own minds up as to which of the 4 projects would be in cycling's
> >>> best interest.
> >>
> >>I've no intention of voting for Sustrans.
> >
> > It's a pitty you feel that way.
> >
> > I cycled from south to north London on Sunday, almost entirely off
> > road on Sustrans track.
>
> That is, in my opinion, the problem.
>
> If the motoring lobby (in which one has to include Sustrans - by their
> fruits shall ye know them) succeed in getting cyclists off the roads in
> some areas, the already widespread attitude that cyclists 'shouldn't be on
> the roads' will spread and harden, and we'll all be worse off.
>
> The solution isn't building ghettos for cyclists. The solution is making
> the roads safe for people.
>
> I, too, shall not be voting for Sustrans.
>

AOL

--
Tony

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has
taken place"
George Bernard Shaw

Re: Connect2

"Simon Brooke" <simon@jasmine.org.uk> wrote in message
news:em7u15-jkb.ln1@gododdin.internal.jasmine.org.uk...
> If the motoring lobby (in which one has to include Sustrans - by their
> fruits shall ye know them) succeed in getting cyclists off the roads in
> some areas, the already widespread attitude that cyclists 'shouldn't be on
> the roads' will spread and harden, and we'll all be worse off.
>
> The solution isn't building ghettos for cyclists. The solution is making
> the roads safe for people.
>

Exactly. Couldn't have put it any better myself.

Re: Connect2

On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 18:13:58 +0000, NEWS@wodger.demon.co.uk (Roger
Merriman) wrote:

>i'm sure that it works in urban places, but they really don't seem to
>understand that there are green bit inbetween, and so suburbanise
>everything.

I have also enjoyed cycling along the Tarka Trail, the Camel Trail, a
network of old train lines in the Peak District, and have every
intention one day to follow the route of the old A9 across the
Scottish Highlands. Oh yes, and then there are those cycle routes
around Nethy Bridge - excellent for a day off from hill walking.

Re: Connect2

On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:15:59 -0000, "wafflycat"
<w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote:

>
>"Simon Brooke" <simon@jasmine.org.uk> wrote in message
>news:em7u15-jkb.ln1@gododdin.internal.jasmine.org.uk...
>> If the motoring lobby (in which one has to include Sustrans - by their
>> fruits shall ye know them) succeed in getting cyclists off the roads in
>> some areas, the already widespread attitude that cyclists 'shouldn't be on
>> the roads' will spread and harden, and we'll all be worse off.
>>
>> The solution isn't building ghettos for cyclists. The solution is making
>> the roads safe for people.
>>
>
>Exactly. Couldn't have put it any better myself.

And what if you just want a pottle in the countryside, perhaps along a
river, and away from noise and fumes?

Re: Connect2

On Nov 27, 11:01 pm, "wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com>
wrote:

> In the countryside you simply don't require special farcilities. Roads have
> relatively little traffic compared to urban areas - in my bit of the
> countryside, there's places I can cycle for miles and not see a car,
> especially on a weekend or out of 'rush hour' times when folk are driving to
> work. No fumes, little traffic (if any at all at times) and absolutely no
> need for any special Sustrans farcilities to achieve that - I simply look at
> an OS map & decide where I'm going.

I'm with Tom on this one. I'm voting for Connect2. Yes, in the
countryside most of the roads and most of the routes one will take are
quiet roads that are lovely for cycling. I led just one such ride
myself on Saturday.
But it is the bits that join these routes up that need work. The ride
I led on Saturday used some cycle paths to avoid a relatively narrow,
fast uphill road. Now, I am happy to ride that road as are most
faster cyclists, but there are a significant number who will not
commute along that road by bike because it is intimidating and
unpleasant.

The connect2 project nearest me is for a cycle/foot bridge over the
River Tay between Scone and Perth. The alternative route is
sufficiently poor to be unpleasant for a competent cyclist, and
downright intimidating for a novice or nervous cyclist. It is gutter
ghetto lanes, narrow roads and a large amount of commercial traffic
between Perth and the local market towns. By city standards it is not
a patch on London, but given the opportunity of a better link, I'd
most certainly take it.

I know many people who would commute at least part of the time by bike
given the opportunity of being able to do it without feeling that you
really should have checked your will and put the funeral directors on
standby. If these routes help to do that (for example 20 fewer cars
because kids have a route perceived as safe to school), or people
cycling out 2 miles from Perth to the quarry mills woodland park
instead of driving, then they are worth putting in.

So this knee-jerk anti sustrans feeling is somewhat misplaced. Yes
there are poor facilities.There are facilities that could be better.
But when we are bullied off our best facilities then we need a weight
of numbers to fight back. And that means more people on bikes.

..d

Re: Connect2

In article <tu0pk3h2qu44tnshapa72i4jumjsp3vpq5@4ax.com>,
kije.remove@this.bit.freeuk.com.munge says...

>
> And what if you just want a pottle in the countryside, perhaps along a
> river, and away from noise and fumes?
>

There is a network almost as extensive as the roads for doing that
called the Rights of Way network. Look on the OS maps for bridleways
and byways. You can also use tow-paths if you print out the free on-line
license.

--
Tony

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has
taken place"
George Bernard Shaw

Re: Connect2

Tom Crispin <kije.remove@this.bit.freeuk.com.munge> wrote:

> On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 18:13:58 +0000, NEWS@wodger.demon.co.uk (Roger
> Merriman) wrote:
>
> >i'm sure that it works in urban places, but they really don't seem to
> >understand that there are green bit inbetween, and so suburbanise
> >everything.
>
> I have also enjoyed cycling along the Tarka Trail, the Camel Trail, a
> network of old train lines in the Peak District, and have every
> intention one day to follow the route of the old A9 across the
> Scottish Highlands. Oh yes, and then there are those cycle routes
> around Nethy Bridge - excellent for a day off from hill walking.

I'm sure the routes are lovely, my point being that the paths, look like
park paths, no attempt is made to make them, fit to the area. compared
to the quite often old railwaylines that they replaced they are ugly and
out of character.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com