Cycling in Yorkshire & Beyond
28th November 2023
The Grand Départ 2024 in Italy is an opportunity to remember past Italian cycling champions.
Many of us have heard the name Fausto Coppi, but were born too late to remember him. What are the essentials of his life and career?
Read about Remembering Fausto Coppi at the 2024 Tour de France.
Find out more about Bike Rides in the Yorkshire Dales.
New in 2023, Bike Rides in the Yorkshire Dales is available in colour paperback.
Find out more about Bike Rides in the Yorkshire Dales.
The York book in the series of Hedgehog Cycling Guides is available in paperback.
Find out more about Bike Rides In and Around York.
Buy the colour paperback for £10 + P&P or the black & white paperback at £6.95 + P+P.
Bike Rides in Harrogate and Nidderdale is now available in paperback and ebook.
Find out more about Bike Rides in
Harrogate and Nidderdale.
24th November 2023
Current government transport decarbonisation policy is not enough to achieve the UK's climate goals. There is a carbon gap.
A new report called Bridging the Gap highlights this problem. What solutions do the authors suggest?
Read about Mind the Carbon Gap.
23rd November 2023
Harrogate Station Gateway - originally a hugely positive active travel and public transport project - has been stripped of most of the worthwhile elements.
If it goes ahead, it will now largely consist of prettifying the status quo for pedestrians and prioritising cars with the traffic light timings on Station Parade.
Read about Harrogate Station Gateway Stripped of Most Worthwhile Elements.
22nd November 2023
In Autumn motor vehicles and their drivers become a bigger deterrent than usual to utility cycling.
Which of three theories best explains dangerous driving in Autumn?
Read about Explaning Dangerous Driving in Autumn.
18th November 2023
Ineos Grenadiers pro cycling team have lost their Deputy Team Principal, with the sudden departure of Rod Ellingworth.
The Lancastrian has been a stalwart at the petrochemical and SUV-sponsored team, which has also lost a number of its top riders in recent times.
Read about Rod Ellingworth Leaves Ineos Grenadiers.
16th November 2023
City of York Council is to launch a consultation on a new Local Transport Strategy.
What's in it for cycling, and how will the historic former home of Romans and Vikings reduce car dependency and vehicle miles travelled?
Read about York to Consult on New Local Transport Strategy.
15th November 2023
The Tour de France 2025 will start with a Grand Départ in Lille-Nord de France.
What stages could be on the menu, and might they include cobbles and Cap Blanc Nez?
Read about Lille to Host Grand Départ 2025.
The clock counts down to midnight on 23rd January 2025, the latest date on which the next General Election can be held.
13th November 2023
Leeds City Council is consulting on exciting active travel plans around the city centre. Credit where it's due, this is a competent and ambitious council.
What are the plans, and how do they fit in with the council's transport strategy?
Read about Ambitious Leeds City Links Cycle Infrastructure.
7th November 2023
The government has made little progress on its active travel targets and is likely to miss its 2025 goals, according to a new report by the Public Accounts Committee.
What does the committee think of the impact of Active Travel England, and how can active travel get back on track?
Read about Little Progress on Active Travel Targets, says Public Accounts Committee.
18th October 2023
The government should invest more in public transport and active travel, and take measures to deter car use, says the National Infrastructure Commission.
Where should the investment be targeted?
Read about the Invest in Public Transport and Active Travel, says National Infrastructure Commission.
14th November 2023
Matt Rendell's biography of Marco Pantani is not new - it was published in 2006.
Why look at it now? Stage 2 of the 2024 Tour de France starts in Pantani's home town, Cesenatico, and will be an opportunity to remember the late Italian bike racer.
Read about Matt Rendell's Biography of Marco Pantani.
8th November 2023
Stage 2 of the 2024 Tour de France starts in Marco Pantani's home town of Cesenatico.
The race's visit to this resort on the Adriatic coast of Italy will be used to celebrate the late Italian racer's career. Given that Pantani's results were powered by doping, is that a good thing?
Read about Should the Tour de France Celebrate Marco Pantani's Career?
30th October 2023
Bryan Adams sang She's Only Happy When She's Dancing, but sometimes it seems that Remco Evenepoel is only happy when he's complaining.
What does he think about the inclusion of white gravel roads in the 2024 Tour de France?
Read about Remco Complains about White Roads in the Tour de France 2024.
Stage 1 of the Tour de France 2024 is a 206km road stage from Florence to Rimini.
This Classics-type course features 3,600m of climbing through Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, split among seven classified climbs.
The final ascent is in San Marino, 25km before the finish line.
Stage 1 could be significant in the GC battle.
Read about Stage 1 Tour de France 2024.
Stage 2 of the Tour de France 2024 is a 200km road stage from Cesenatico to Bologna.
The visit to Cesenatico is to pay homage to Marco Pantani.
The culmination of the stage is an 18.5km circuit in Bologna, with a climb to San Luca which should suit puncheurs. The last 9km of the circuit are downhill or flat.
Read about Stage 2 Tour de France 2024.
Stage 3 of the Tour de France 2024 is 229km road stage from Piacenza to Turin.
The race includes a tip of the hat to Fausto Coppi at Tortona, where he lived.
This is a flat stage, and Turin is expected to play host to the first bunch sprint of the 2024 Tour.
Read about Stage 3 Tour de France 2024.
Andrew Jones MP | Redwings 'not British enough' - rabbits | Area 6 active travel requests | Close passes on Beech Grove | Bad driving in Harrogate
9th November 2023
I recently wrote about Quick Wins suggested by Harrogate Cycle Action - small improvements to Harrogate's cycle network that could be implemented quickly and cheaply.
Are there any more examples of Quick Wins? Yes! Here they are.
Read about More Quick Wins for Harrogate's Cycle Network.
3rd November 2023
Harrogate Cycle Action have suggested a number of Quick Wins to improve Harrogate's cycle network.
What sort of improvements fall into this category, and is there any appetite on the part of the council to deliver them?
Read about Harrogate Cycle Action Suggest Quick Wins.
20th October 2023
Tom Gordon, the Lib Dems Harrogate & Knaresborough candidate for the next General Election, appears to have picked opposition to active travel as his bizarre and depressing election strategy.
What have Gordon and the Lib Dems said in their leaflet?
Find out in Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate Picks Opposition to Active Travel as Bizarre Election Strategy.
24th October 2023
Active travel is to be prioritised over car storage in the York Station Gateway scheme.
Council Leader Claire Douglas made the decision to displace a few residents' parking spaces so as to enable to a cycle track to the railway station to be built.
Read about in Active Travel Prioritised Over Car Storage at York Station Gateway.
23rd October 2023
York's new Labour administration are revealing their transport plans, which will go to consultation in November.
Can they resolve the contradiction inherent in their stated commitment to reducing transport emissions and duallng the Outer Ring Road?
Read about in Labour York Council Executive to Continue with Outer Ring Road Dualling.
10th October 2023
City of York's website still states that the cycle improvements on Tadcaster Road will be finished by September 2023. In fact they have barely started.
What has been built, and what is the current cycle provision on Tadcaster Road like?
Find out in Tadcaster Road Cycle Improvements Barely Started As Completion Date Goes By.
6th November 2023
NHS England has published its Net Zero Travel and Transport Strategy.
What percentage of NHS transport emissions are staff commutes, and what is the strategy to shift them to active modes and public transport?
Read about NHS Net Zero Travel and Transport Strategy.
28th October 2023
Welsh Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters was on the Streets Ahead podcast earlier this year.
As Mr Sunak and the Conservatives do the wrong thing on transport emissions and active travel, is there any hope of good sense and honesty from this politician?
Read about Lee Waters on Streets Ahead Podcast.
13th October 2023
Sports will have to decarbonise if they are to receive funding from Sport England. That's the message from the body's Chair Chris Boardman.
How will that happen in practice?
Read about the Sport England to Require Sports to Decarbonise.
11th October 2023
The Dutch have built 62 long-distance Cycle Highways, out of a planned total of 326.
What are the characteristics of these routes, and are they achieving modal shift?
Read about the Emerging Dutch Cycle Highway Network.
30th August 2023
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo yesterday celebrated the French capital's achievement in reducing traffic and air pollution by 40%. How long did the reduction in foul air take, and what are the health consequences?
Read about the Paris Mayor Celebrates 40% Less Traffic and Pollution.
24th August 2023
Cycling is up 36% in central Brussels a year after a circulation plan was introduced, and there is 25% less motor traffic.
The Good Move plan to make the streets more liveable has been a success, but are there any problems?
Read about the Brussels Circulation Plan Sees Cycling Up 36%.
6th September 2023
The Bell Busk Bumble mountain bike ride is a pleasant loop starting and finishing at Gargrave.
It won't take your breath away, not metaphorically at least, but it's a nice bumble through the countryside and good exercise.
Read about Bell Busk Bumble Mountain Bike Ride.
23rd August 2023
The Langstrothdale Chase mountain bike ride is 20.5 miles, starting and finishing at Horton-in-Ribblesdale.
It's medium distance with plenty of climbing, and explores one of the remoter parts of the Yorkshire Dales.
Read about the Langstrothdale Chase Mountain Bike Ride.
16th August 2023
The Bowderdale Classic is a 24.5 mile mountain bike ride in the Howgill Fells. It starts and finishes in Sebergh.
Visit Sedbergh say it's not for the faint-hearted, and that's accurate.
Read about the Bowderdale Classic Mountain Bike Ride.
7th August 2023
This 18.5 mile mountain bike ride loops around Pen-y-Ghent.
It takes in Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Litton. There's nice scenery and the tracks are generally decent quality.
Read about Around Pen-y-Ghent Mountain Bike Ride.
31st July 2023
The Settle Clapham Loop Cycle Route takes you from Settle via Austwick to Clapham. The return is by Clapham Station, Eldroth and Giggleswick.
In Summer, you can enjoy the Settle Flowerpot Festival too.
Read about Settle Clapham Loop Cycle Route.
Updated 7th March 2023
A road cycling route starting and finishing at Grassington. It takes in Malham Tarn and Cove, and returns to Grassington via Airton and Cracoe.
Read about Grassington, Halton Gill, Malham & Cracoe Road Cycling Route.
This urban route along the Wyke Beck Way, follows Wyke Beck and goes through parks and greener areas within Leeds, as well as some housing estates. It takes you from Roundhay Park to Temple Newsam.
Read about Stage 1, Roundhay Park to Temple Newsam.
Stage 2 of the Sustrans Slow Tour of Yorkshire takes you from Garforth, past RSPB St Aidan's, to Woodlesford Lock. It's a pleasant ride along the Linesway (former railway), then by the river Aire. It can be quite muddy.
Read about Stage 2, Garforth to Woodlesford.
Stage 3 of the Sustrans Slow Tour of Yorkshire is a 14-mile (one way) ride along the Leeds & Liverpool canal from Leeds to Saltaire.
It's pleasant being by the canal, the views keep changing, and there are plenty of cafés and pubs where you can refuel.
The destination, Saltaire, is interesting and has several attractions. Highly recommended.
Read about Stage 3, Leeds to Saltaire.
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