New Peak District routes?

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MikeF
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Re: New Peak District routes?

Post by MikeF »

The problem with many of routes such as this is that money is not put aside for maintenance. It's all very well creating these facilities, but often after a few years they deteriorate because of lack of maintenance and/or poor design.
Vegetation is often a main problem - not just the small stuff which can be trimmed back, but also the trees which are often allowed to grow. It doesn't matter what the surface, anything more than scrub on the sides of a path is a potential problem and overhanging trees will definitely be a problem. Drainage also is often not given any thought.
"It takes a genius to spot the obvious" - my old physics master.
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reohn2
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Re: New Peak District routes?

Post by reohn2 »

MikeF wrote:The problem with many of routes such as this is that money is not put aside for maintenance. It's all very well creating these facilities, but often after a few years they deteriorate because of lack of maintenance and/or poor design.
Vegetation is often a main problem - not just the small stuff which can be trimmed back, but also the trees which are often allowed to grow. It doesn't matter what the surface, anything more than scrub on the sides of a path is a potential problem and overhanging trees will definitely be a problem. Drainage also is often not given any thought.


+1
We're not very good at maintenance where footpaths and other offroad tracks and trails are concerned :?
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TrevA
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Re: New Peak District routes?

Post by TrevA »

MikeF wrote:The problem with many of routes such as this is that money is not put aside for maintenance. It's all very well creating these facilities, but often after a few years they deteriorate because of lack of maintenance and/or poor design.
Vegetation is often a main problem - not just the small stuff which can be trimmed back, but also the trees which are often allowed to grow. It doesn't matter what the surface, anything more than scrub on the sides of a path is a potential problem and overhanging trees will definitely be a problem. Drainage also is often not given any thought.


The Peak District trails are not too bad in this respect. They are quite wide and very well used which stops most of the encroachment. I've not noticed a problem with trees. The surface (fine gravel) isnt really suitable for road bikes bikes but OK on tourers, hybrids and MTBs.
Sherwood CC and Notts CTC.
A cart horse trapped in the body of a man.
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reohn2
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Re: New Peak District routes?

Post by reohn2 »

TrevA wrote:
The Peak District trails are not too bad in this respect. They are quite wide and very well used which stops most of the encroachment. I've not noticed a problem with trees. The surface (fine gravel) isnt really suitable for road bikes bikes but OK on tourers, hybrids and MTBs.


TBH the Tissi and High Peak paths could be an awful lot better.The Manifold can be bad in parts, for verge encroachment,overhanging branches and fallen leaves which are never swept up in Autumn.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
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Flinders
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Re: New Peak District routes?

Post by Flinders »

TrevA wrote:
MikeF wrote:The problem with many of routes such as this is that money is not put aside for maintenance. It's all very well creating these facilities, but often after a few years they deteriorate because of lack of maintenance and/or poor design.
Vegetation is often a main problem - not just the small stuff which can be trimmed back, but also the trees which are often allowed to grow. It doesn't matter what the surface, anything more than scrub on the sides of a path is a potential problem and overhanging trees will definitely be a problem. Drainage also is often not given any thought.


The Peak District trails are not too bad in this respect. They are quite wide and very well used which stops most of the encroachment. I've not noticed a problem with trees. The surface (fine gravel) isnt really suitable for road bikes bikes but OK on tourers, hybrids and MTBs.


It irritates me that so many 'cycle routes' have such bad surfaces that they are pretty useless for road bikes, and then we get told 'there's a cycleway you ought to be using it' when we're on the road.
I'd also appreciate better information on route surfaces on maps etc.
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foxyrider
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Re: New Peak District routes?

Post by foxyrider »

There are encroaching trees on many of the A/B roads in the Peak District so why should bike routes be exempt! :D
Convention? what's that then?
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MikeF
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Re: New Peak District routes?

Post by MikeF »

TrevA wrote:The Peak District trails are not too bad in this respect. They are quite wide and very well used which stops most of the encroachment. I've not noticed a problem with trees. The surface (fine gravel) isnt really suitable for road bikes bikes but OK on tourers, hybrids and MTBs.
Usage doesn't stop encroachment. The routes around here are very well used, but that doesn't prevent tree growth at all.

Maybe there isn't a problem with trees (because there a few of them and conditions aren't right for rapid growth next to the route?) in the Peak District. Or maybe you don't understand what the problems are?
"It takes a genius to spot the obvious" - my old physics master.
I don't peddle bikes.
TonyR
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Re: New Peak District routes?

Post by TonyR »

reohn2 wrote:We're not very good at maintenance where footpaths and other offroad tracks and trails are concerned :?


That's because the money to build them comes out of the capital budget but the maintenance needs to come out of the recurrent budget.
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TrevA
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Re: New Peak District routes?

Post by TrevA »

MikeF wrote:
TrevA wrote:The Peak District trails are not too bad in this respect. They are quite wide and very well used which stops most of the encroachment. I've not noticed a problem with trees. The surface (fine gravel) isnt really suitable for road bikes bikes but OK on tourers, hybrids and MTBs.
Usage doesn't stop encroachment. The routes around here are very well used, but that doesn't prevent tree growth at all.

Maybe there isn't a problem with trees (because there a few of them and conditions aren't right for rapid growth next to the route?) in the Peak District. Or maybe you don't understand what the problems are?


It seems I dont. I just ride the trails.
Sherwood CC and Notts CTC.
A cart horse trapped in the body of a man.
http://www.jogler2009.blogspot.com
reohn2
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Re: New Peak District routes?

Post by reohn2 »

TonyR wrote:
reohn2 wrote:We're not very good at maintenance where footpaths and other offroad tracks and trails are concerned :?


That's because the money to build them comes out of the capital budget but the maintenance needs to come out of the recurrent budget.

Whatever the reason the outcome's the same :?
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
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TonyR
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Re: New Peak District routes?

Post by TonyR »

reohn2 wrote:
TonyR wrote:
reohn2 wrote:We're not very good at maintenance where footpaths and other offroad tracks and trails are concerned :?


That's because the money to build them comes out of the capital budget but the maintenance needs to come out of the recurrent budget.

Whatever the reason the outcome's the same :?


I've just had the same round here.

Q (to Councillor): "Why are you building it if you don't have the money to maintain it? In five years it'll be like the last one you built, no use to anyone through lack of maintenance"

A: Because we've got the money to build it but there's no chance of getting any to maintain it.

<SFX> Palm hits forehead</SFX>
Slowroad
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Re: New Peak District routes?

Post by Slowroad »

At the risk of slightly hijacking a thread which may already have run its route, do any of you know if the Caldon Canal is cyclable from Cheddleton to Froghall or part of? I gather from my internet searches that it may be in part.
Thanks!
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johnmac
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Re: New Peak District routes?

Post by johnmac »

The improved route from Stoke ends at Cheddleton. The tow path between there and Froghall is rideable, albeit slowly, on rough grass.
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