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Friday Night Ride
Its the first FNR of 2022 this Friday 6th May. Leaving from the town hall steps at 6.00pm. Theme is the ‘Revolution’ ride. The ride will finish in Old Whittington around 8.00pm.
No need to book, just turn up!
There won’t be a ride in June due to the Jubilee bank holiday so the next ride will be on 1st July, theme ‘The Brampton Branch Line’. -
Campaign May Day stall
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Staveley Regeneration Route
Read our response to the route here. Whilst we welcome the inclusion of a segregated cycle path along the length of the road with links to the canal side path there will be considerable loss of amenity with the proposed road very close to the canal. We think the cycle path crossings at two roundabouts need improvement and extra links need consideration to Barrow Hill and the Hollingwood Hub.
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Park Road Crossing
The traffic signals on Markham Road and Park Road are being updated and as part of that scheme a Toucan crossing is being installed on Park Road. where the Hipper Valley Trail crosses.
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Events in 2022
At our January meeting we discussed rides and other events for 2022. So far our calendar consists of:
2nd May – stall at the May Day event.
May 21st – Cycle in Style
July 3rd – Ben Vernon charity ride.
September 10th – Cycle in Style.
Hopefully there will be Friday Night Rides on the first Fridays May to September too. Cycle in Style is ten years old this year so we’re planning two rides.
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East West Route
Due to legal reasons Derbyshire County Council have to reopen Crow Lane to vehicles, however they are proceeding with the Traffic Regulation Order to close it permanently. Despite pressure to scrap plans for the East West route from Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins, some county and borough councillors we understand the county Council intend to press ahead with the scheme.
We have produced a document ‘myth busting’ some of the opposition comments which you can download below. Also available for download is the letter our secretary recently sent to Chris Heaton Harris, minister for cycling.
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East West Walking & Cycle Route Meeting
We have been made aware of a meeting at Brookfield School on 11th November at 7.30pm arranged by Chesterfield Civic Society with Toby Perkins MP as speaker asking for your views about the route.
Both the Civic Society and Toby Perkins oppose building the route but the public consultation produced a majority in favour of all sections.
Please attend the meeting to make your support of the route known.
Link to the original online consultation where you can access all the plans for the route.
Chesterfield East-West Walking and Cycle Route with detailed analysis of responses to the consultation.
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East West route
Derbyshire County Council cabinet approved the east west route proposal on 14th October.
We received this message from DCC ‘its approval to start the work, but Crow Lane will of course be subject to a TRO to actually legally close it which will require a further consultation / advertisement of the points its closed at. In the meantime, theoretically the rest can be started though now. The signals at Storrs Road still need some more design work but many other parts are ready for delivery as soon as we can programme a workforce to do it.’
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East West Route – decision time!
On Thursday 14th October Derbyshire County Council will decide whether to go ahead with the east west cycle route from the rear of the Royal Hospital to Holymoor Road. Read the report to cabinet here Chesterfield East-West Walking and Cycle Route.
Ahead of that decision one of our members has compiled a report detailing the economic benefits of cycling in Chesterfield. Economic benefits of cycling in Chesterfield v1.
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‘Waterside’ News
The shared route being built between the river and housing development is taking shape, tarmac rather than the crushed stone surface specified on the original plans! It is still blocked at the southern end by the new fencing installed by Derbyshire County Council that will have to be removed!
Further south towards the new office block there is a setback though. Chesterfield Borough Council approved a temporary (3 year) application for a caravan sales area. The area in question includes the ‘towpath’ (currently a footpath only). We and other organisations including the Trans Pennine Trail, Sustrans, Transition Chesterfield and Waterside objected to the application saying that any development there should include widening the towpath to 3m to create a shared path. This requirement is part of the Waterside master plan to create a traffic free alternative to cycling along Brimington Road. Unfortunately all our objections were ignored.