Sustrans Sheffield

Bridge slide postponed

2012-01-09T02:21:00.000-08:00

The bridge lift for the Killamarsh / Halfway Connect2 project -- scheduled for the morning of 15th January -- will be put back due to the bridge supplier's shot blast facility breaking down.

The main contractor is aiming for the back-up (related to the railway possession time) date of 5th February for the bridge lift.

We will put a further confirmation of the new date on the blog when we hear further. .

Mud slides & Bridge Slides

2012-01-05T07:16:00.000-08:00

Rangers will be out and out this weekend:-

Saturday 7th, quick inspection ride around the network in Sheffield. Meet 10 a.m.

Also, we're looking forward Sunday the 15th when the Connect2 Bridge lift should take place over the River Rother at Killamarsh around 10a.m. (weather permitting) Catch the tram from town at 09:10 or meet us at Halfway at 09:50.Limited viewing facilities.

TPT Improvements in Sheffield

2011-12-19T06:42:00.000-08:00

Tenders are due in this week for next stage of Blackburn Valley Route – Chapeltown Greenway (Grange Lane to Cowley Hill). The works should be complete by June. The council will then look to complete next section - from Cowley Hill to Thorncliffe Road - towards end of next financial year.

After much complaint about the state of this section, a bound surface (tarmac) will be installed on 1km of Tongue Gutter at Parsons Cross in New Year, which will be a welcome improvement to the area. It is hoped further surfacing will come on board as / when funding is identified.

Workday on 10th December

2011-12-12T06:34:00.000-08:00

Tim Hess, Volunteer co-ordinator for Sheffield North, writes:

It was a chilly day for Tim Allen and me. Having stopped at a timber merchants in the morning we headed off to Greno Woods with two woodern 3 x 2 posts and some vinyl signs. The locations we had spied in the early autumn that needed signage were easy to spot and nature had cleared the vegetation for us.

We noticed again that the gates into Greno Woods from Wharnclifffe Side were left open and it will be only a matter of time before a car will end up being dumped somewhere in the woods. We will have to chase Street Force again and also the Wildlife Trust about this matter.

On route and just before a lunch of hot soup and a cup of cocoa we headed to Parsons Cross and installed as many signs as possible to cover up the inadequate work at the Asda and Penistone road junction. There is still a need to go up and install a lot more temporary signs on the entire route cover up for the lack of attention to detail from recent work – unfortunately we ran out of sign stickers.

After our signage work and digging we then headed off for a ride through Wharncliffe Woods to help produce a Treasure Hunt for school children on the Wortley to Grenoside Section. The work at Plank Gate looks pretty much complete. We realised that there is not many me memorable features of this route other than stunning woodland and mountain views. It took some creativity to come up with ideas for the treasure hunt.

It looks like there will be a need for new signs in the area to supplement the lovely wood carved markers that mark out the route when there is a number change. However, I think after our day’s signing work the signage should be up to standard in this area. Perhaps it needs someone to try to navigate this section and give an independent view.

Connect 2 Killamarsh Progress

2011-12-05T08:43:00.000-08:00

The contractor has made good progress on the embankments and bridge foundations & abutments over the last
month, but of course now we are heading into the bad weather.

The river bridge lift is now scheduled for Sunday 15th January. At the moment, it looks like it will be around 7am in the morning (following the overnight rail bridge lift).

Sustrans are going to issue a press release about the River Rother bridge lift and there could be a bike ride, or even a chartered tram for cyclists, to watch the event.

SCC is looking to advance some of planned 'Phase2' works into this financial year, although we're still waiting on cost to know for certain. The first part of these works would be vegetation - small tree branches, shrubs, brambles - clearance along the corridor of the Phase2 route and there could be scope for a team of Rangers/ volunteers to help with the clearance work (or a defined section of the clearance work) in mid-late January.

Problems in Parsons Cross

2011-12-04T09:03:00.000-08:00

Problem 1

Dumped cable on side of trail needs removal

SK 3790 9320

Problem 2

Trail heading toward Shire Green and Ecclesfield, trail too narrow and poor poorly surfaced. Not of suitable standard for cycle trail recommend cycle dismount signs until surfaces is upgraded

SK 3670 9372

Problem 3

Trail joining Hartley Brook Avenue need a permanent sign. All stickers get removed too quickly in this area. Gates is permanently open and will encourage cars / motorbikes

SK 3629 9268

Problem 4

Need a permanent sign at junction of Hartley Brook Rd and Molineaux Rd, no directions available

SK 3636 9262

Problem 5

Need a permanent sign at junction of Hartley Brook Rd and Barnsley Rd , no directions available

SK 3614 9251

Problem 6

Route in green space parallel to Deerlands Avenue too narrow unsuitable for cyclists. Diversions have been put up by Simon Geller. This route needs completely resurfacing before it is appropriate for cyclists.

SK 3540 9247

Problem 7

Roadworks on A61, no temporary signs to direct cyclists

SK 3386 9275

Problem 8

Gate left open to vehicles – is this part of works within Greeno Woods?

SK 3320 9435

Problem 9

Again gate left open to vehicles – is this part of works within Greeno Woods?

SK 3325 9554

Problem 10

Found a signage issue on Bridge Inn Rd. Not sure where quite from my notes.

SK 3504 9685

Thanks to Jon Fyne and Tim Allen

Agenda for meeting 3rd December

2011-11-28T00:54:00.000-08:00

Sustrans Ranger Meeting 3rd December

10 a.m. 285 Glossop Rd, Sheffield S10 2HB.(No bikes in building. Cycle parking at rear of building - fully secure parking available on request. )

1) Introductions (Dave Stevens)

2) New roles (Mandy Loach)

Review of new roles and give you an opportunity to select which role suits you best:

Signing champion

Publicity

Media

Workday Organiser

Community Payback Scheme co-ordinator

Ride and Walk Leader

Fundraising Volunteer

Biodiversity

Route Maintenance Section Lead.

Route maintenance ad hoc

3) New Route numbering.Action plan for re-numbering (Dave Stevens)

Need to set a date and agree a method to sign the TPT signs or and leading to the trail. This needs to be coordinated and coincide with a change on the Web.

4) Route allocation. - Leaders/Rangers (Simon)

We will look at a the sections of the trail, the geographical spread of our group and divide the sections of the trail up by available Route Section Leads

13:00 Lunch (provided )

13:30 Ride - New route up to Ringinglow (Route to the Peak Park)

16:00 Pub Sheffield Tap (Next to train station)

Network News

2011-11-18T03:23:00.000-08:00

Metal Theft is occurring on the Five Weirs Walk - if you see evidence of this please contact the police on 101 and Street Force - streetforce@sheffield.gov.uk, 0114 2734567. If you see it happening try to get a photo of the people involved but don't put yourself in danger. If there's a vehicle parked nearby that might be in use by the thieves try to get the registration number.

Wharncliffe Woods - Forestry Commission says "We are harvesting adjacent to the Plank Gate - felling and extraction to roadside should be finished by next week - it will then just be a matter of how long it takes the merchant to haul the timber out of the wood. At the latest, the contract must be finished by 31 December."

Otherwise, apart from on-going issues in Ecclesfield and Parson Cross (diversions are posted) the Network in Sheffield is clear for use.

Ecclesfield to Grenoside

2011-10-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

Self & Andy Wild from SCC checked out a potential alternative route from the TPT at Ecclesfield to Grenoside.(there are problems with the current route) - basically the route he uses to cycle up to see his mum!

This is the railway path up to Chapeltown - due for upgrading to the Chapeltown Greenway

Due to lack of thought in design, this cycle track ends rather abruptly!

A link is needed here to carry the route across the main road and into the back roads.

It looks like a viable route with a bit of tweaking.

Staveley Trails Open Again.

2011-10-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

The Trans Pennine Trail through Staveley, whilst not complete, is open again. A new marina is in the process of being built:

This is currently the limit of Navigation for the Chesterfield Canal west of the M1. If you wanted to

take your boat to Worksop you would have to lug it over the hill (See Werner Herzog:-)

Although the surface is not complete people were already enjoying the ride,

Here we are approaching the new marina.

The trail goes underneath the new road

Get your priorities right! Cycle Parking already in place

This is the site of the new Marina

I wonder if they will twig that this is the way people want to go?

Heading E towards Arkwright Town - new road crossing.

People joining the trail from Polsbrook Country Park

The end of the trail - landfill site beyond here. You can pop out on the road before this and head down to the Arkwright, a popular CAMRA pub with good food,

The trail could potentially continue across here and link to the Nutbrook Trail, taking you further south towards Mansfield and Nottingham.

Building a lock, 21st Century style.

Derby Ranger meeting

2011-10-23T01:40:00.000-07:00

Had a great day out with the East Midlands Ranger group yesterday. We pedalled up the superb Mickleburgh Greenway, which is very well supported and looked after by people, had some great (& cheap!) food in a Camper Van sales place, and some good beer in the Flower Pot. Derby has benefitted from Cycling City status and has some excellent off-road cycle-routes, which is just as well because the road system is highly cycle-unfriendly. The group turned out to be jsut as keen to talk about campaigning issues as trail maintenance, and we had interesting discussions about 20mph, Free Range Kids and Cyclenation.

The day was only slightly marred by a 1.5hr wait at Langley Mill for a train (don't ask what I was doing there!)

Bowden Housteads Link

2011-09-05T01:40:00.000-07:00

A short piece of track between the A57 Mosbrough Parkway junction and the bridge over the Parkway leading to Bowden Housteads wood has been officially designated a cycleway. That will enable us to sign it as a link between NCN6 & 67, avoiding a steep climb up to the next bridge followed by a downhill again & this will be incorporated in the re-signing exercise we're working on (see earlier posts) .

More cleaning up at Manor Way

2011-08-24T06:36:00.000-07:00

Morris & myself had a successful morning cleaning up at our favourite place (no I didn't take any pictures, just look through the older blog posts if you want to know what it looks like.) I do feel we're getting to a point where we can say that the Victoria Quays - Rother Valley route is up to a reasonable standard most of the time.

Sheffield to Manchester route

2011-08-14T10:59:00.001-07:00

View Sheffield to Manchester in a larger map

Route description: http://www.cyclesheffield.org.uk/route-planning/long-distance-routes/sheffield-to-manchester/

Sustrans people rode the route on 13th August.

Highlights of the trip were:-
The gorgeous Porter Valley Route.
Dramatic views across Burbage & Bamford moors and courteous treatment by drivers.
Ladybower Dam & the Thornhill Trail
Pretty countryside around Slackhall.
The High Peak tramway
The Floop - a superb route, very well maintained. Good to see that that some of the dafter access controls have been removed (e.g. Sainsburys Fallowfield)
Access to City Centre from Fallowfield along Wilmslow Rd was reasonable.
A good pint at the Sand Box.
Plenty of room on the Northern Rail stopping train via Hope Valley for bikes.

Agreed that Sheffield Bamford Station could be opened as an interim route and Bamford to New Mills is close to being interim.

Things we spotted yesterday which would enable upgrade of status from “interim” to “fully open”

Permission to use Guernsey Rd/Lynwood Gardens/Park Lane rather than Clarkehouse Rd
Slower speeds on Clarkehouse Rd
Removal of demarcation line in Bingham Park - making it fully Shared Use
Better crossiings at Hangingwater, Whiteley Wood Rd, “Quiet” Lane.
Slower speeds on Sheffield section of Ringinglow Rd
Allow cycling across Ladybower Dam.
Allow cycling on track between Aston & Hope Cemetery - Negotiate via Caravan Club.
Measures to reduce congestion in Castleton
Metalled cycleway on Mam Tor

Slower speeds on Rushup Edge

Widen pavement on A624 between (?name of lane) & Charley Lane.
Access issues on High Peak tramway - current status is unclear.
Improve crossing at Bugsworth basin. (signage for Pennine Cycleway needed here.)
Partial re-surfacing of canal towpath New Mills - Marple.
Completion of Connect 2 scheme at Marple.

Note that canal towpath surface beyond Marple is not suitable for interim route.

Link from roadway to Floop at Longford Rd West was not clearly signed.

Disgruntled customer ride

2011-07-21T16:09:00.000-07:00

Well , it's just the way it goes. You take a couple of disgruntled customers, who say they got lost on the way to Meadowhall, out for a ride and make them fix all the signs they say they missed. Then, when you get back to Sheffield Station and offer to buy them a drink (Celia had to go home and get dinner) who should you run into but a whole bunch of Sustrans Bike It officers who've been out to the Peak District for a team meeting. So naturally you make the last remaining Disgruntled Customer buy all the drinks. Hooray!

Sustrans Voliday

2011-07-05T15:48:00.000-07:00

Sheffield University staff from External Relations volunteered to help clean up the National Cycle Network on the 5th July 2011 and had a great time. Here's some pix from the day:-

If you'd like to get your team out on a workday on the National Cycle Network, get in touch - we can arrange it.

Fwd: FREE cycle app now available

2011-05-26T04:52:00.000-07:00

Forwarded from Sustrans:


Dear Simon Finally, the National Cycle Network app Download our FREE 'The complete National Cycle Network' iPhone app today and explore: 25,000 miles of route (including all 13,000 miles of the Network) great local detail (over 90,000 points of interest including shops, schools, bike shops, accommodation and attractions) GPS tracking (record your route and share it with your friends, even if they don't have an iPhone) every bus stop and train station in the country with links to their timetables
A great 'go-to' app for getting around everyday - download it for FREE!

Monsal Trail Tunnels are Open

2011-05-26T02:54:00.000-07:00

The official opening of the Monsal Trail tunnels happened yesterday, creating a new cycle route between Bakewell and Chee Dale (links between Matlock and Buxton are also being built, but I'm not sure of the status of these)

Sheffield Sustrans Volunteers didn't get invited to the opening ceremony, but Sheffield Cyclists, including Volunteers, Slobs and Cyclesheffield people did get out for a ride-through in the evening:-

& Here's a vid from @ianloasby

Sustrans Ranger Ride, 24th May

2011-05-24T16:24:00.000-07:00

New recruit Ian Belton and recent recruit Tim Allen came on a ride to Rother Valley and did a bit of signing en route:-

Sustrans Ranger Rides

2011-05-24T04:23:00.000-07:00

A future date for your diary - Sustrans NCN6 Sheffield to Manchester Trailblazing ride, 13th August, starts 10:00 Sheffield Station.

Cobweb Bridge

2011-05-24T04:18:00.000-07:00

The Cobweb Bridge has had temporary repairs and is open at the moment. However, it is going to receive an entire new deck so it will be closed again for a while when this is done. We'll leave the diversion signs in place until this is finished.

Fly-tipper receives hefty fine

2011-05-20T06:45:00.000-07:00

Very pleased to hear about this:

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/director_must_pay_36_000_after_leaving_hazardous_material_near_city_nature_reserve_1_3397814

Routes revision in Sheffield

2011-05-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

We had a planning session in Sheffield recently to plan the rationalisation of the meandering, myriad of National Cycle Network routes in Sheffield.

We agreed that:

NCN 67 should go from Chesterfield to Leeds via Rotherham and Barnsley

NCN 6 should go from Nottingham to Manchester via Worksop, Sheffield and across the Peak District on a new route…

And NCN (three figure number - to be determined, perhaps 627?) will pick up the open and proposed sections which links up the centres of Doncaster – Rotherham – Sheffield – Hillsborough and Penistone.

The other NCN routes in Sheffield are interim routes which (in the fullness of time) will become reclassified as local routes and will be signed as “this way to (x)”.

Route 6 would cross the Peak District on a new route utilising the towpath of the Peak Forest Canal, the collapsed A road at Mam Tor, existing rural lanes, a section of the Pennine Bridleway, the Sett Valley Trail, the dam of Ladybower reservoir, an existing signed route through Sheffield…

So the new routes should look something like these diagrams-

Route Closure - Chesterfield Canal

2011-05-18T07:04:00.001-07:00

Please see information from Chesterfield contact officer Gemma Gregory, Regarding the closures in Staveley.

Chesterfield Canal (GENERAL) - There are unfortunately two TPT closures on the Chesterfield Canal towpath / TPT in the coming period (Spring/Summer 2011). Derbyshire County Council would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused, but all of the closures will bring significant investment and improvement to the Canal and the TPT in the short to medium term. Please use the diversion routes signed on the ground and if you experience any problems with signing or notices then please ring Tapton Lock Visitor Centre on 01246 551035. Updated 18th May 2011

Chesterfield Canal, Staveley - There is a 300m section of the TPT / Canal towpath to the north of Hall Lane in Staveley which is currently closed to all users. This is a temporary situation due to the ongoing works to create a new canal basin for the Chesterfield Canal on this site. The work commenced on 21st February 2011, and is planned to last for 34 weeks. The Trail is closed and diverted during the canal basin works and an alternative route through the centre of Staveley will be advertised and signed on site. A new, fully re-surfaced section of Trail should be created as part of the canal basin works and will be made available to all users as soon as practically possible (hopefully well before the end of the 34-week build). Updated 18th May 2011

Just to the south of Hall Lane, there is another 300m section of closure. This is a temporary situation during works by the Chesterfield Canal Trust Work Party Volunteers to create new wash walls as part of the restoration of the canal in this location. A new, fully re-surfaced section of Trail should be created as part of the canal restoration works and will be made available to all users as soon as practically possible. Updated 18th May 2011

Quick Spin on the Network

2011-05-16T03:07:00.000-07:00

Had a quick ridearound on Sunday & this is what I found:-

Gave this info board a spruce-up with Graffiti wipes. There are still remnants of Graffiti but at least you can read it!

We warned the council 2 or 3 years ago that if they didn't remove the budleia along here it would start to break up the brickwork and threaten the integrity of the river bank. Well, it's happened!

Meadowhall access to Chapeltown Greenway - it looks good but there is glass around, beware!

General condition of the Parts of the Network I looked at-

5 Weirs Walk -Good (Cobweb Bridge looks open for good.)
Chapeltown Greenway - Good.
Hillsborough - City Link - Good

I also applied some destination stickers at Blonk St, Rutland Rd & Livesey St & had a very pleasant ridearound!

Sustrans Ranger Ride, 24th May

2011-05-14T07:24:00.001-07:00

A quick heads-up that there will be a Ranger Ride on 24th May - over to Rother Valley & back to show Judith & Ian, our new rangers, around the route. Returning via the "Round the Airport" route. We'll take a few temp signs in case we see anything obvious that needs re-signing, but it's not a signing or maintenance ride as such. Meet 5:30 at Barkers Pool (City Hall) or elsewhere by arrangement.

Sustrans Volunteer co-ordinators conference, Liverpool 5th March.

2011-03-07T02:01:00.000-08:00

These are my notes from Saturday's meet. I'd like to think I'll tidy them up, but that probably won't happen, so you'll just have to try to make sense of them as they are. The remarks are my own, not necessarily those of Sustrans.

Malcolm Roberts Sustrans achievements

Wales
Responsibility for maintaining cycle routes

NI
helmet compulsion
New routes
Supporter increase

England - new schemes:-

Cheshunt

Bethnal Green

Worcester

Cardiff portrait benches

Carlisle funding withdrawn.

NCN now 13,000 miles. This may shrink as Connect. 2 projects reduce the number of "long way round" routes

Bike it.
60 bike it officers

tony ambrose

Early days

13000 miles

2704 rangers

210 group co-ordinators

375 others.

Liaison Rangers are now called group co-ordinators.

Volunteer survey.

better volunteer recruitment, more targetted, clearer roles.

Active Travel champions - workplaces. Piloted on Olympic areas.

planning workshops

in scotland all footpaths are now multi-user.

LTP3

air quality management areas .

Community Infrastructure Levy coming in. Subject to LA buy- in.

S106 money frequently not spent

Developing new routes.

Action

Why keep routes maintained?

people wont use it
safety & security
sustrans might get sued
make it a pleasure for users
ecology & bio-diversity
sightlines
create respect for the route.
less graffiti.
the better the condition it is in the less work we will have to do.
dogs dont cut their paws

what can volunteers do
picking up veg
cutting back litter
maintaining a presence
chicanes and fences in good order
signage
workdays
reporting problems
workdays
surfaces
needles.
vegetation
keep LA informed
building links
remove grafitti
turfing
reporting anti-social behaviour.
flagpole
report dead badgers
organise rides

reinforce code
free bells
carry radar keys
ensure accessibility
use defect forms.

Organise workdays 2-3 times a year.

inspecting the route.

once a month off-road - two months on-road.

note improvements, good quality maintenance.

why have workdays.

dont get much done by yourself get more ldone
unifies the group.
brings people in
Good PR
worksigns

get mentioned in the press

safety

highlights failings of LA but good pr

group plan

in advance
plan a workday
risk assessement
first aid
ridearound
invite participants what to wear children
disposal of debris
ask for LA assistance

tools
transport
permission all stakeholders

safety wear
weather forecast
refreshments
loos

bridges esp vegetation
power tools can be used with permission.

meeting time
H&/s & briefing.

event - manage

conclusions

3 top actions for the year ahead

spring cleans

signing

map to show gaps

fresh air mies ride - not sponsored.

specialized as sponsor.

festivol 15-18 july

feedback fom.

Sustrans route inspection ride, 6th March

2011-03-02T09:20:00.000-08:00

Join the Sustrans Rangers for an inspection ride of the National Cycle Network to Rother Valley, followed by a fun ride down to Chesterfield, and back on the quietest roads we can find. Additional pickup at Rother Valley (about 13:00) on request.

Meet at Barkers Pool 11a.m. (We like a slow start on a Sunday - the CTC will be halfway across the Peak District by then!)

Sustrans clean-up, 19th March

2011-03-02T08:50:00.000-08:00

Join the Sustrans rangers for a clean-up of the section of the National Cycle Network between Manor Way and Beaumont Rd Nth. Equipment provided - wear old clothes, let Simon know you're coming and just turn up, 10 a.m. at Manor Way (Google Map link)

View Sheffield Locations in a larger map

Cobweb Bridge

2011-02-24T07:51:00.000-08:00

The bridge is closed at the moment. We understand that the decking previously used has been deemed unsuitable. We will provide an update when we get some solid information. Diversions are currently signed along Effingham Rd.

Sheffield's Big Spring Clean Campaign

2011-02-11T02:03:00.001-08:00

The City Council has arranged a Big Spring Clean campaign, between 7th March & 30th April. for more information see http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/roads/maintenance/spring

2011 Operational Plan

2011-01-17T08:23:00.000-08:00

The Sustrans Sheffield 2011 Operational Plan has been finalised and you can read it here.

Support the Dewbury & Ossett Greenway!

2010-12-16T03:36:00.000-08:00

Kirkless Council has submitted a planning application for the Dewsbury to Ossett Greenway for public consultation:

http://www2.kirklees.gov.uk/business/planning/application_search/detail.aspx?id=2010%2F93167

There is an on-line form which you can use to make comment:

http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/business/planning/yourviews.asp

This extension of NCN66 will be particularly useful if you are travelling through to Wakefield to catch a train or pick up the TPT to go to Sheffield or Leeds. Please put in a message of support!

Support the Monsal Trail link proposal

2010-12-01T02:02:00.000-08:00

A planning application has gone in for a signed link between the Monsal Trail , which should be available by Easter 2011 with the tunnels re-opened making for a level, motor traffic-free route from Bakewell, and Buxton town centre and station.

To support it, go to http://pam.peakdistrict.gov.uk/ and search for the Planning Ref NP/HPK/1010/1096 When the same ref appears somewhere near centre left centre on screen, click on it, then on "Add Comments". It'll ask your name, address, phone and email and give you the opportunity to click "Support" and to add a brief comment if you wish. Finally tick the "declaration" box and "send".
This is part of a spectacular project ~ part of NCN680 ~ that deserves our support in spades.

View from the trail in the Wye Valley, Derbyshire

Tunnels Walk, 2009. Soon this route will be open to all!

Ranger ride & meet

2010-10-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

We had a ride and meeting scheduled on Saturday to have a look around the Network and start to draw up our annual plan. Actually only Richard turned up and I let him off the meeting, but we had a good ride anyway. Sadly the Manor section had a lot of litter but the route is mostly rideable - very little broken glass was encountered. We spotted some options for route improvement around Waverley, using the off-road footpath rather than the trail, and had a think about we could improve signage in Bowden Housteads. On the way back we spotted some opportunities for improving routes around the Station area:

This temporary bit of track has been made by Network Rail engineers working on the River tunnel (the Rivers Sheaf & Porter meet under Sheffield Station, platform 5)

A little extension to the track would make for a useful link, completing the off-road cycle track between the station and Park Square.

The "Artistic" Graffiti artists had been at work:-

and on the way home I found another example of their work, this one in the River Porter:-

Work has started on the Sheaf Valley Park behind the station :-

It looks a mess at the moment and a lot of mature trees have been felled but hopefully when complete it will be an improvement.

New Ranger at Work

2010-09-15T06:52:00.000-07:00

Tim Allen, our new Ranger tries out a bit of signing...

Dave Stevens, our local volunteer co-ordinator, checks out his handiwork.

Beeley Woods - Sustrans needs your help!

2010-08-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

Sustrans needs your help to persuade Sheffield City Council to finish off the multi-user path through Beeley woods. The foundations for the path have been laid but the funding to finish it off has been spent elsewhere. Now we need your help to get it completed. Please print off the petition at http://bit.ly/blt8QN – get as many people as possible to sign it and post it back to the address at the bottom by 31st August. (sadly the Council doesn’t yet accept online petitions)
When completed the Beeley Woods path will be part of a vital safe cycling route between Oughtibridge and the City Centre, so please get signing!
The petition along with a Scheme Request form will be submitted to the Northern Area Assembly meeting on 29th Sept.

Five Weirs Walk

2010-07-13T02:55:00.001-07:00

First section of 5WW (Blonk St - Effingham Rd) is closed while flood relief work takes place on the river. Diversions are posted.

Picnic on the Bridge

2010-06-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

Today was the opening of a new link across the Trent, always a barrier for cyclists heading east from Sheffield who aren't comfortable on busy main roads.The Fledborough viaduct, a classic railway structure, is now open for cyclists and walkers. When the associated route is complete it will provide a link through from Clumber Park, itself already on NCN6, to Lincoln, where you can get on NCN1, the Water-rail Way, and head for East Anglia, or indeed north to East Yorkshire and beyond.

I left Sheffield at 9 and followed NCN6 through Rother Valley Country Park to Worksop. My friend Jon, another Sustrans ranger, joined me at Worksop and having stopped at Clumber, where there was a 40's festival going on, made our way along lanes and bridleways to Fledborough. A warm welcome awaited us:-

After the bash we pootled back to Worksop, refreshing ourselves regularly en route, and finished off with a swift couple in the Mallard at Worksop before getting our train home.

Condition of Network

2010-05-10T04:20:00.001-07:00

Noted the following issues on the Sheffield section of the NCN/TPT this weekend:-

(This is a maintenance report for the benefit of the people who keep the trail clean, don't be put off - it's still a great ride! )

Sussex St - tyres dumped, general litter.

Bowden Housteads woods - general litter & fly-tipping between Parkway bridge & Mosbrough Parkway Bridge. Signage missing - have put up temporary signs but a more robust solution is needed here. The new signs that have been put up in the city centre are not suitable for these remote locations - the one new one that has been put up, at the NCN6/67 junction at Richmond has been vandalised.

Glass on track at numerous locations between Mosbrough Parkway & Manor Way - Access points in particular need to receive attention.

Off-road motorcyclists in the Carbrook Ravine Sheffield Wildlife Trust site.

Fly-tipping on Tinsley Park Road - general litter all the way from Arena to Tinsley Park Rd

Unnecessary "cyclists dismount" sign at south end of cobweb bridge.

Glass on pavement - East Coast Rd bridge.

Beighton Tip Site - The new tracks across the landfill site are in much better condition than the old TPT route and a more pleasant ride. However, there are no signs across the site and nowhere to put temporary ones.

Rear of Sovereign Stainless Fabrications, Attercliffe Rd- fence broken leading to rubbish spilling out on to Five Weirs Walk.

Broken glass on pavements around Arena Sq

NCN6 Old Penistone Rd Grime & litter at access point returning to shared use pavement, south end.

Litter bins need to be emptied more often - many of the bins I passed were full to overflowing.

On the plus side, the new sufaces between Beighton and Richmond are excellent and make for a safer, faster and smoother ride.

Elsewhere in the city

Cycle route signs pointing in wrong direction at following locations:-

Glossop Rd/Brunswick St junction.

Saxon Rd/Chesterfield Rd junction (w. side of railway bridge)

Fly-tipping at Eastern end of Stone Lane.

Fly-tipping & broken glass on the footpath between Bamforth St & Penistone Rd (nr Vision windows Warehouse)

Barnsley.

TPT signs have been vandalised on town link - visible from the train.

What do we want to see in LTP3?

2010-03-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

The Council along with the rest of South Yorkshire is drawing up its plan for transport for the next 5 years. What would we like to see in it? Ideas are being collected at ltp3 One thing's for sure - there won't be any money for large capital projects and small-scale cycling projects represent excellent value for money.

Not On Network

2010-03-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

Sheffield City Council has placed this Motor Traffic Information Sign in the middle of the cycle track on Eyre St. (& widened the cycle track slightly so that when you run into it and are lying on the ground bleeding, you are still on the footway and not inconveniencing any motorists.) As Sustrans frequently gets the blame for this sort of stupidity I felt it necessary to add a "Not on Network" sticker to it - to it make it plain that it is nothing to do with Sustrans, but also to warn cyclists of the hazard. Our suggestion was that as the sign is for the benefit of motorists it should have been put in the middle of the carriageway instead.

2010-02-25T03:05:00.000-08:00

Had a quick ridearound with Andy from SCC which was very useful.

The following things might happen:-

Travelodge :-

Take one K-frame out & move to tunnel under Railway. (Ecclesfield)

Other K-frame will have spacers removed, making it easier to get a bike through.

Bridge @ Ecclesfield - remove barrier which has been subject to a botched repair.

(pics below)

Newhall Rd - slant barriers so cyclists are able to pass through slowly.

Chapeltown Greenway - although there has been a funding gap some work will soon commence on the extension to Chapeltown & Tankersley. There may be scope for Sustrans rangers to help with any preparatory work - clearing vegetation etc - as per Beeley Woods.

Ramp from bridge up to green space adjacent to Ecclesfield Rd (which is heavily used for motorcycling) is in very poor condition.

Noted that Sheffield Wildlife Trust are clearing vegetation between Weedon St & Carbrook St, & the retaining wall is being rebuilt along Effingham St which is causing some disruption. Tyres have been dumped at north end of Cobweb Bridge, at Sussex St. Section between Wicker Arches & Blonk St is closed for Environmental Agency work on the river (Diversions have NOT been posted!)

Guerilla Rangering

2010-01-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

Me and Richard A. went out to fix an irritating problem this morning:-

This is where the Five Weirs Walk crosses Newhall Rd. It involves a couple of tight u-turns and then someone who clearly isn't a cyclist put in a barrier which necessitates another tight turn. As a result people cut the corner, which has resulted in the earth getting worn down and creating a hazard.

We went out to fix this a few weeks back with some paving stones but the ground was frozen, so we hid them in the bushes and returned this a.m.. A spot of nifty spadework soon had the ground prepared and we put the paving stones in place.

This is what it looks like now :-

Here's Richard trying it out:-

We hope this makes your journey along the Five Weirs Walk a little easier.

Further downstream we found a spawning Spacehopper:-

On the way back we stopped at La Perle Bistro & Patisserie on the Wicker (honest!)

which we can thoroughly recommend.

Beeely Wood update

2009-11-05T02:10:00.000-08:00

Rob Stanley from the council sent me this:-

The Beeley Wood route is a project in progress at the present time. The path will be finished off with road planings in the near future, together with top soiling of the verge, and that will wrap up phase 1.

Phase 1 is in effect a footpath improvement, - improving drainage, getting rid of the swampy patches and improving the surface for people
who are frail or use wheelchairs. The route is not yet a cycle route or Bridleway so cannot be signed as such. We anticipate that the route can
be upgraded to a Bridleway (and allow cycle usage and signage) as part of phase 2 around April time 2010. This will hopefully be done with a final surfacing of the main track, which is to be agreed, and a
Bridleway agreement with landowners. Access treatments will also be looked at.

The final surfacing, as part of Phase 2, is subject to consultation with a range of stakeholders, including the Community Assembly, Ramblers Association, Sustrans and landowners. I will be looking to start the ball rolling on this later in November.

Agreements with landowners to upgrade to a Bridleway should be fairly straight forward, provided we have their agreement on surfacing and access management. However, there are four landowners along the course
of the route, one of which we have yet to identify and make contact with (despite trying all obvious means). If we can't identify this particular landowner, we may have to look at doing an Order to legally
achieve the Bridleway, which would take longer and be more costly. We are currently exploring options on this.

I will update you when we have either indentified the remaining
landowner or decided on a course of action to convert the footpath to a Bridleway by legal Order. I will also involve Sustrans' reps in the consultation on the final surfacing later this month.

The crossing of the railway line north of Oughtibridge is the subject of ongoing discussion between Network Rail and the City Council, following
Network Rail's opposition to this. Its not an easy one.

Looking ahead to 2010

2009-11-01T15:44:00.000-08:00

What will Sustrans in Sheffield be doing in 2010?

My own thoughts so far go as follows:-

Celebrating the opening of the Beeley Woods shared use path and hopefully the complete route between the NCN at Oughtibridge and Sheffield City Centre.

2010 will mark the 21st Anniversary of the TPT - that is 21 years since the inaugural ride and walk that launched the idea of the Trail to the public. Obviously there are going to be celebrations, including a ‘batten’ relay across the whole of the Trail. This is likely to take place in June.

We have been asked to organise at least one walking, cycling or horse riding event in out area at some point during 2010 as part of the ‘TPT 21st Anniversary Celebrations’ and I'm sure we can manage that.

This year we did the 'Fresh Air Miles' sponsored ride at Rother Valley and although there wasn't a big take-up for the ride itself the stand at Rother Valley generated a lot of interest so I'm sure we could do that again, perhaps with some guided rides to take people along the TPT.

A sponsored ride to raise money for Sustrans should be on the cards as well.

We do of course want to have a cycling and walking network that is attractive, free of litter and other hassles and well-signed, so we'll need some workdays to achieve that and we should continue to harrass Streetforce and Sheffiield City Council if they fail in
their statutory duties. This is particularly important when budgets are being cut and managers are looking to cut corners.

I have a plan for a Sheffield to Manchester route taking in the Porter Valley, the Hope Valley, Mam Tor, Rushup Edge and over to Chinley so hope to make some progress with that.

Any other ideas? By all means leave a Comment if so.

2 New planning apps

2009-09-14T07:32:00.000-07:00

The council has submitted 2 new planning apps which will add vital links

to the NCN and take us a step closer to a completed network for the area.

One is for an extension to the Chapeltown Greenway - this will take it as far as the Yalta

industrial Estate which IS in Chapeltown: A future extension will link
it to the TPT at NCN/TPT at Cart Road early next year, subject to a
funding bid recently submitted. The route will be bituminized as well.
This is great news for Chapeltown residents who will have a route free
of motor traffic all the way to Meadowhall. In particular it will
avoid the nasty hill between Chapeltown and Ecclesfield.

The other one is for an "iconic" bridge over the Parkway near Tinsley
Golf Course. This will remedy the shameful current situation where
pedestrians, cyclists and horse-riders are supposed to cross the 70
mph Sheffield Parkway at surface level.

I will be writing to support both these applications - should you wish
to comment you can do so
at SCC's planning portal,
http://planning.sheffield.gov.uk/publicaccess/DC/dc_home.aspx
by searching for following refs:

Chapeltown Ref: 09/02522/FUL
Parkway Ref: 09/02783/FUL

(Works best with Internet Explorer)

Cobweb Bridge closed

2009-04-30T07:23:00.001-07:00

Apparently the Cobweb Bridge has been closed and it looks as though at least 20 tensioning bolts have been stolen.

East Midlands Ranger Meeting

2009-04-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

Went to the above meeting in Derby. It was good to meet fellow rangers who are doing interesting stuff. Current plans and activities include:

The Water Rail Way, Lincoln - Boston, which is already open but is having an official opening on April 25.

Plans for a Derwent Valley Greenway, heading north from Matlock and with a view to linking up with the High Peak and Tissington trails.

New routes east of Leicester, linking up with Market Bosworth.

Continuing route 67 north from Langley Mill to meet up with the TPT at Chesterfield (we need a strong NE Derbyshire group to push for that one)

Derby which has excellent NCN routes is consolidating it's activities.

Note that Sustrans is now talking about "volunteers" rather than "rangers" - reflecting the wider range of work that volunteers do.

TPT Fun Day, Nov 1st 2008

2008-10-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

FieldArt in conjunction with Sheffield University School of
Architecture and others have arranged an aftermoon event this
Saturday, the 1st November between 2 & 4. They are looking at ways to
regenerate the old station at Grange Lane on the Chapeltown Greenway.
I've put their flyer up at
http://axelrod.plus.com/ppmw/index.php/Image:Cyclists_email_invite.pdf
and there is more info at
http://www.06liveproject2008.blogspot.com/

The station is about a mile away from Meadowhall Park'n'ride - or just
follow the Five Weirs Walk from Effingham Rd, noting diversion around
the Thessco section, and follow blue signs for Parsons Cross at
Meadowhall ( don't take the Forest Loop *& note diversion around new
hotel development at Barrow Rd. )

I hope to get along myself - maybe see you there.

Sheffield University Awayday

2008-10-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

A small team from Sheffield University held an Awayday on Oct 27th, clearing overgrown budleia from a section of the Five Weirs Walk. Everyone said they really enjoyed it and they certainly left the path in a much better condition...

Text of article for Up and Over

2008-10-08T03:53:00.000-07:00

There has been quite a lot of work going on in the Sheffield/NE Derbyshire area. As you will all
be aware we got quite badly hit by the June 07 and January 08 storms, and it is taking a long time to get everything back to standard. Additionally we were hit by cable thefts on our two iconic Cobweb
and Bailey bridges, and the city centre sections have been affected by large development projects.

At the time of writing the City Centre to Wicker Arches section of the Five Weirs Walk is still closed, although we hope it will be open soon. The Warren St to Norfolk Bridge section has just been resurfaced and is open for business, although the next section where the Pergola was damaged is still closed. There are temporary NCN stickers up so you can make your way to East Coast Rd, and after that the route is open. Meadowhall has completed the rebuilding of its flood defences, although the bridge over to Meadowhall Rd is still closed. The hotel at Meadowhall is nearly complete so that will dispose of another tricky diversion. The River Stewards have been helping us run clean-up events along the Walk.

The trail alongside Hartley Brook has recently been resurfaced as well.

Heading East and South, the developers at the site next to Park Square have done a great job of keeping the route open. We still have problems up at the Manor, but one of our rangers, Craig Malkin is working to get the kids at the Park Academy to take ownership of the part of the route that runs alongside the premises.

Sheffield Council put up new signs at the junction at Richmond where routes 6 & 67 diverge after years of prompting. Unfortunately one of them got pulled down almost immediately! A more robust solution is needed here. The Beighton tip site has been landscaped and you now have the option of heading over the top as well as alongside the Mosborough Parkway. Some sections along here have been resurfaced as well.

Sheffield Green Drinks run a series of monthly events where thy visit different 'Green' initiatives around the city. I managed to persuade them to take a "Round the airport" bike ride on the NCN - I wasn't able to go on it myself, although some of my colleagues in Pedal Pushers went, and I hear they had a thoroughly good time. People were amazed at the beauty of Bowden Housteads Wood, and appalled at the fact that Sheffield had driven the Parkway through them, in equal measures.

Heading south towards Chesterfield, some long-awaited resurfacing work is taking place around Renishaw. The route around Staveley is still disrupted, and local rangers Paul and Pip and have been doing their utmost to ensure that diversion signs remain in place. I hear there are plans for a new bridge across the River Rother in Chesterfield.

Pedal Pushers "Cyclists Specials which run out to Waterthorpe, near Rother Valley have been very popular, and bike rides have taken advantage of the various trail options, either down towards Chesterfield,
eastwards on NCN6 to Worksop and Clumber Park, or northwards towards Rotherham.

A new cycle track alongside Penistone Rd has been designated part of NCN6 by Sustrans. As it is an urban cycle route it should be regarded as part of the NCN rather than the TPT - however, when complete it should link with the TPT at Oughtibridge, with a new cyclepath through Beeley Woods.

So with all this in place, by spring 09 we should have a fully functioning network of TPT and linking routes in Sheffield! When it is all complete we will have some rides to celebrate - look out for details in future editions of Up and Over.

Trail report NE Derbyshire

2008-09-26T12:20:00.000-07:00

Paul'n'Pip say:

went for a quick ride round the trail the other day and noted a few things that need some attention.

1. The bridleway from Grove Rd down to Balmoak Lane is severely rutted (as bad as when we had the floods the other year)

2. The sign on Recreation Road pointing (or rather not) to Grove Way is damaged and pointing in the wrong direction.

3.Sign on Manor Rd between Brooke Drive and Recreation Rd is obscured by a house for sale sign, the for sale sign is virtually touching the TPT sign.

4. One of the signs on Dovedale Rd/ Bamford Rd directing you into Westwood has been stolen the other sign for going in the opposite direction ie towards the Arkwright Line is still okay.

5. The Arkwright Line where it runs along side Bamford Rd needs cutting back.

6. Diversion signs around Staveley road works missing, stolen and obscured by other street furniture and signs ie fly posters etc.

7. Bluebank Loop (old railway line that runs parallel to the canal) is muddy and a poor surface for cycling on.

8. The canal towpath is worn and bumpy in places - needs some patching in places.

Cheers

Paul n Pip

Litter Action

2008-08-29T04:37:00.000-07:00

We have joined Litter Action - see http://www.litteraction.org.uk/

If you're bothered about litter on the NCN but don't really feel you have time to sign up as a Sustran Ranger please join our group. We will let you know when a litter pick is coming up and you can choose whether to come along.

Summary of issues

2008-08-18T06:10:00.001-07:00

I Inspected Richmond - Sheffield City Centre section of the
Trans-Pennine Trail/National Cycle Network yesterday and noted the
following issues.

Firstly, the signs have been replaced, particularly at the junction
where the routes 6 & 67 diverge. Many thanks for that. I will ask the
local rangers to keep an eye on them and report any vandalism so we can hopefully
nip it in the bud (leia!).

Broken glass on section near Travelodge, just beyond Prince of Wales Rd

Broken glass and litter between Beaumont Rd Nth & Manor Way,
particularly around the access points. I am please to note that the
litter bin at Manor Way
has not been vandalised and is well used - more litter bins at access
points would relieve the general litter problem.

Flooding at Waltheof - this is a recurrent drainage problem.

Broken glass on section alongside the parkway, by Victoria Wharf

As there is a Bank Holiday coming up could we arrange for this entire
section to be mechanically swept afterwards - it is always
in a very poor state after bank holidays.

Photos etc at http://sustranssheffield.blogspot.com/

Elsewhere on the NCN the following issues have been reported:-
Litter at High Hazel park (upper entrance)

On the Weirs Walk East Coast Rd - Stephenson Rd section the bench and
rubbish bin have been vandalized.
The bin near Sanderson's Weir has been burnt out.
Wheelie bin in river Don near norfolk Bridge

Porter Valley. Clough Lane - where the off-road route splits from the
on-road the sign has been vandalized.
The bridleway avoiding Forge Dame is in need of repair

Elsewhere in the city the following issues have been reported:-

A sign is needed to direct cyclists up Meetinghouse lane when
following Markets - University route.

Broken Glass on the cycle way bridge crossing Coleridge Rd (This is a
recurrent problem)

Poor maintenance of cycle lanes around Darnall Main Rd/Prince of Wales Rd.

Flora St - trees need cutting back

Another 5WW Clean-up

2008-08-18T04:15:00.000-07:00

Gawd that 5WW gets a lot of attention!

The River Stewards have organised a clean-up event on the Five Weirs Walk for August the 23rd, 9am -12, trimming back along the Stevenson to East Coast road section.

If you are interested in joining them please contact Hannah Shaw
(Hannah.shaw at sheffield.gov.uk)

Simon
Sustrans Liaison Ranger - Sheffield

New Signs!

2008-08-17T12:06:00.000-07:00

Replacement signs have finally been erected on the Sheffield - Rother Valley section. I'm not sure that the route numbers are correct but at least it's quite clear which way to go now.

Sustrans Rangers will be doing their best to make sure they are not vandalised like the adjacent sign.

Floodin g problem at Waltheof

A new section of route has emerged on Blonk St.This will eventually link the Five Weirs Walk and the Rother Valley route - another piece of the jigsaw.

Five Weirs Walk Clean-up

2008-06-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

Five Weirs Walk Clean-up

Join us for a clean-up session on the Five Weirs Walk, 6-8p.m. Wed 11 June. Meet Fell St entrance. Bring Gloves and any tools you can (Shovels, Secateurs etc)

Five Weirs Walk Clean-up

2008-05-20T01:33:00.000-07:00

Join us for a clean-up session on the Five Weirs Walk, 6-8p.m. Wed 21 May. Meet Newhall Rd Bridge. Bring Gloves.

Signing ride 26th April

2008-04-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

I conducted a signing ride from Beighton to Ecclesfield on Route 67 and I think I can confirm that temporary signing is in place throughout.
The key locations that require permanent signing are:

Mosborough Parkway where routes 6 & 67 split. This has been requested many times and we were told that signs had been ordered but nothing has appeared.

Chapeltown Greenway where the "forest loop" and the main route diverge. Signs are still pointing in the wrong direction here and direct people to walk along the active railway line.

Other issues I noted were:

There is litter throughout. Particularly bad were:

Arena - Shepcote lane. (Tinsley Park Rd) Rocks had been placed here to prevent vehicles entering for fly-tipping but these have been moved so fly-tipping has returned

Stone Lane/Coisley Hill.

Maintenance/other issues:-

High Hazel Park - Europa Link. This has an impressive breed line and muddy section on the downhill section - the most dangerous parts are obscured by dips. As this could be taken at quite a high speed it is particularly hazardous.

Off-road motorcyclists are a problem at Beighton & around the fringes of Rother Valley Country Park.

There is a potential link between Eckington and Renishaw. This is a very fast & narrow road. The pavement is quite good and wouldn't take very much upgrading for shared use. Are we in Derbyshire here?

Off the NCN, Mill Lane between between Mosborough and Renishaw, is sadly infested with fly-tipping.

Are the TPT offfice, Sustrans Streetforce and other street cleansing agencies doing anything to link with the CPRE's
Stop the Drop litter campaign, headed by Bill Bryson?

See http://www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/stop-the-drop/litter-and-fly-tipping

Simon Geller
Sustrans Liaison Ranger - Sheffield /NE derbyshire

Sustrans Rangers Convene in Sheffield

2008-04-07T09:43:00.001-07:00

Rangers convene at Sheffield Station for a pre-conference ride

..and at the Manor Way for a look at the "litter bin!"

Ranger Day 5th April

2008-03-26T03:27:00.000-07:00

We are hosting a Regional Ranger Day in Sheffield on April 5th. It is being held in historic Firth Court, the central administrative building for Sheffield University.

For information on how to get there click here

For cycle specific information click here

Lower Don Route Inspection, 2nd March 2008

2008-03-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

There are signs on Cutlers Way (NIRR) indicating that the TPT is in the direction of the Parkway. (picture to follow) Has this now become a premiere walking and cycling route? I don't think so. Have put some temporary signs up directing users along Effingham St (B6073).

In addition to the known route closure, a tree has blown over near Washford Bridge,
Attercliffe Rd. Apart from the new phase 6b section, therefore, none of the 5ww is open for cycling until you get to Stevenson RD.

Stevenson Road entrance - glass from a broken windscreen covers the access point.

Broken glass at Blast Lane subway.

Litter on approach route to Valley Centretainment from Attercliffe Rd (Carbrook Hall pub)

On the plus side, the bin at Manor Way has not been vandalised and is in use. The litter problem
has by no means gone away but is a lot better. I feel this fully justifies the action we took and look forward to seeing more bins installed at strategic locations along this part of the trail, particularly the access points where kids tend to gather.

Out of the area:

Broken glass at access point for Heath - gave me a puncture.

Off the TPT:

There's a big pile of litter by the Don Valley Bowl entrance to Ice Sheffield, ripe for getting blown about.

The whole of the Sheffield Arena to Woodburn Rd route is in poor condition, with the Don Valley Bowl to Arena section particularly unusable due to broken glass. There is fly-tipping in the housing estate to the rear of Virgin Media.

Cycle parking at Granville Sq tramstop would be very useful for cycle park'n'ride.

New bin on Manor Way

2008-01-13T07:05:00.000-08:00

Following the Chaining a bin to the Signpost stunt, Sheffield City Council have at last installed a bin at this location. How long it will last remains to be seen. Unfortunately the bin I chained up has completely disappeared, although I suspect I might find it somewhere on the cycle route at some point!