The brains behind Britain's national cycle network has said there is a "national and international obligation" to set up a cycleway linking Matlock, Bakewell and Derby.
There is currently an application with the Peak District National Park Authority for the extension of the Monsal Trail as a walking and cycling route from its present terminus at Coombs Road, Bakewell along the former railway line (through two tunnels) to Church Lane, Rowsley.
The application is expected to go to the Planning Committee next month and comments have been requested by the end of next week. PLEASE write to PDNPA to support this application; this is most easily done via their website. PDNPA website;
The Application Number is NP/DDD/1111/1125
There will be a Public Meeting at Rowsley on Tuesday 17th January to discuss the Bakewell to Rowsley Section of the multi-user route at 7 pm in the Village Hall
There will be a presentation by John Grimshaw followed by a chance to ask questions. All are welcome.
Derbyshire County Council Countryside Service are on the point of submitting a planning application to upgrade the Derwent Valley Heritage Way into a multi-user route (although not for use of horses). The route goes from the A6 in Matlock, following the river and the side of Permanite and crossing the fields to meet the end of the gated road which leads from Oker to South Darley
At present the route will finish at the northern end of the gated road. It is not yet clear how the river or main road would be crossed at this difficult point.
There is a general consensus from local users that a route along the rail line between Matlock and Darley Dale would be preferable to this upgrade. However, we urge the support of this planning application, as something is certainly better than nothing.
Further information will be posted when the application has been submitted.
Work is now well advanced on getting the four tunnels on the Monsal Trail opened up so that we can then travel by cycle or on foot along the Trail between Coombs Road (south of Bakewell) and the Wye Dale car park near Topley Pike. The Official Opening by the Government Minister of Transport is on Wednesday 25 May.
There are some vital planning applications that are currently being considered on which we really need your support. The latest one is with Derbyshire Dales DC and is 11/00150/FUL for a short length of route between Rowsley towards Harrison Way and Rowsley South. There have been some ill informed objections so we need you to support the proposal urgently.
Also, the route from Red Gap Lane down Church Lane (a farm track) through Woo Dale to the A6 which gives access from the A6 near to Wye Dale into the outskirts of Buxton. Park and is no. NP/HPK/1010/1096
And finally, the route from Woo Dale Pumping Station alongside A6 to Wye Dale car park (this links the above route to the end of the Monsal Trail). It is with High Peak BC and is no. HPK/2010/0521
A planning application has recently been submitted to Derbyshire Dales District Council (DDDC) for the section of the route from Rowsley to Harrison Way. This is a key section through Rowsley Sidings and the plans have been carefully drawn up to fit with Peak Rail plans to extend their rail line.
The deadline for comments is the end of March 2011 - please get your letters of support in as soon as possible!
Go to DDDC website; and do a search for Rowsley to Harrison Way or use the reference 11/00150/FUL
Well here it is, a picture of our "Give Cyclists Room" sticker/clinger
Actual size is 12 inches by 3 inches.
"Stickers" are adhesive on the face of the sticker so when fixed to the inside of your vehicle the message shows outside (and also in your rear view mirror if fixed to your back screen). The adhesive isn't too grippy so will re-position if needed but will eventually "set" firmly.
Clingers just "cling" to the surface in the same way and can easily be removed if needed.
Sales are to raise funds for DVCG. Cost is £2 each (sticker or clinger) with "free" postage or delivery. No discounts for quantity or collection.
You can buy them at Stanley Fearns cycle shop on Bakewell Road, Matlock - they will be pleased to sell you cycling stuff too if you need it, but that's not compulsory. Thanks to Andrew of SF Cycles for agreeing to sell them for us.
The alternative is to buy them from our Secretary, Martin jones at martin.jones@care4free.net. If you e mail Martin with your name and address he will e mail back with his address. Payment is by cheque made out to Derwent Valley Cycleway Group, or to M.J.Jones. If delivery, by Martin (who lives in Bakewell), is feasible then payment on delivery can be arranged (cash or cheque).
It's a good message to spread and a good cause to support, thankyou.
A planning application has recently been submitted to the Peak District National Park (PDNP) which is for a key section of the route. The section of Monsal Trail from Bakewell to Topley Pike (Wye Dale Car Park on the A6) is due to be fully open next Spring. The next objective is to get a link from Wye Dale into Buxton centre and railway station without using the A6. This planning application deals with the section from the A6 up Woo Dale (a lovely, gradual incline) to the public road called Red Gap Lane. Later applications will cover the short stretch from Wye Dale to Woo Dale and from the end of Red Gap Lane into Buxton.
The deadline for comments is this Friday 3 December even though the application was only submitted a couple of weeks ago and the supporting documents were not added to the PDNP website until at least one week later!
The application number is NP/HPK/1010/1096 "Creation of Walking and Cycling Path" through Woo Dale from the A6 to Red Gap Lane.
Please, please let PDNP know you support the application and want it approved. You might want to include in your comments that you think the idea of opening up the trail with links to Buxton and other areas is a brilliant scheme which will greatly benefit tourism, local people, the environment, families, health issues - just about averything you can think of that's a priority these days.
Please make comments via the PDNP website
On behalf of the Derwent Valley Cycleway Group I am writing to bring you up to date with progress as you have shown an interest in our work in the past, or have been involved in some other way.
We are sorry not to have held any public meetings for supporters recently and that we haven’t written to you sooner to let you know of developments. However we do try to keep our website (derwentvalleycycle.org.uk) up-to-date, and this will usually be the best place for you to find out the latest developments.
No doubt you will have read in the local media of some of the major new cycling/walking routes that are planned in this area – though you may not realise the extent of DVCG’s role!
We are currently involved in helping to create cycling/walking routes which will ultimately provide a continuous loop between Matlock rail station via Bakewell to Buxton rail station then to Parsley Hay on the High Peak Trail, continuing to High Peak Junction on the Cromford Canal and returning to Matlock rail station.
Breaking this down we can tell you the following:Please do continue your interest in our activities and do anything you can to promote our cause, if only by keeping up to date via the website and telling your family and friends about us.
A planning application has been submitted by Buxton Civic Association for proposals for linking Buxton to the existing High Peak and Tissington Trails at Harpur Hill and Staker Hill. The DVCG have agreed to give full support to this application.
Jeremy Taylor was part of a group hosted by the Peak District National Park Authority on a day-long visit for key stakeholders (including DofT, Sustrans, CTC, and others) to the tunnels on the Monsal Trail which will be opened up as part of the cycle route between Buxton and Bakewell.
Jeremy Taylor has been appointed as Chairman of DVCG, following the very successful three year Chairmanship of Chris Strawford, who originally set up the group.
Whilst money may now be forthcoming for the route, DVCG members agreed at a recent meeting that they will continue to work together to see that the cycle route/Greenway between Matlock and Buxton becomes a reality.
£1.25 million has been awarded by Cycling England for the provision of a cycle route linking Matlock and Buxton. The project will be managed by the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) with cooperation from Derbyshire County Council. A project manager has already been appointed. Works will be undertaken in a phased manner, with Buxton to Millers Dale the likely first phase of the route to be built. The 1.25 million needs to be spent by 2011 and further funding will be required for the route, which will cost an estimated £3.5 million.
See also: Peak District National Park News; Matlock Mercury
During a meeting in July, it emerged that Derbyshire County Council, despite earlier indications of support, do not favour the route proposed by DVCG and prefer a route to the west of the River Derwent via Oker and the gated road broadly following the Derwent Valley Heritage Way. This route is more suitable for horseriders and less objectionable to a major stakeholder. The DVCG are concerned that whilst the proposed DCC route would support tourism and day trippers, it would not serve the local community as well as it is not close to centres of population and does not provide such a direct route between settlements. However, the DVCG will continue to liaise with DCC and wish to be included in the further development and refinement of the route and links to it. DCC Councillors, Officers and members of the DVCG are hoping to walk the route together in the near future.
On 25th June 2009 members of DVCG gave a presentation to Derbyshire Dales District Council, describing the proposed Greenway route from Matlock to Rowsley and also the wider context of the route between Derby and Buxton. The talk was well recieved with supportive comments from councillors and encouragement to liaise with both County Council and District Council Officers to agree on the route and move forward with planning and funding.
The presentation can be downloaded (0.2MB): DV Greenway presentation
A Working Group has been set up within Darley Dale Town Council to support the aims of the DVCG and in particular the provision of the multi-user Greenway from Matlock to Rowsley. The Town Council have recognised that the route meets one of the key aims of their Town Plan and would be of huge benefit to the local community in providing a route for pedestrians, wheelchair users and cyclists to get around Darley Dale without facing the dangers of the A6.
The working group have offered to provide financial assistance as well as general support to facilitate the provision of the route as soon as possible.
DVCG awarded funds from Community Fund (Mar 09)The following text appeared on the front page of 'Focus' the LibDems newsletter March 2009:
"Well done to the local Derwent Valley Greenway Group for publishing an excellent report. This report expresses a desire to see a Greenway Route through the Derwent Valley for cycling and walking. A substantial part of the route will pass through Darley Dale.
District Councillor David Burton welcomes the hard work contributed by the group. David says, “This proposed Greenway route will be of great benefit to many local people and visitors to our area. These people are entitled to a safer and more environmentally friendly route. ClIr Burton is now encouraging the group to publish more copies of their report and to make a full presentation of this important project to all members of the District Council at a future Full Council Meeting. County Councillor, Nigel Allwood has donated a Community Award Grant of £500 pounds to help with publication costs for the group."
The DVCG will give a presentation to the full Council Meeting of Derbyshire Dales District Council on Thursday, 25th June 2009 in order to explain the route and answer questions.
DVCG have recently completed a report showing the proposed route for the Greenway between Matlock and Rowsley. This has been circulated to Peak Rail, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Derbyshire County Council, Matlock and Darley Dale Town Councils and local Councillors.
The proposal can be downloaded (3.8MB): DV Greenway Proposal (includes detailed maps) or see The route (detailed maps not included)
DVCG agrees constitution (Nov 08)
The Derwent Valley Cycle Group has now been formally constituted. The core group of the DVCG consists of:
President: John Grimshaw (CBE) Chairman: Chris Strawford Secretarty: Martin Jones Officers: Robert Clarke Antony Crowder Liz Pasteur Jeremy TaylorBy Jeremy Taylor (see http://www.matlockmercury.co.uk/news/Founder39s-call-for-Dales-cycle.4594535.jp for online article)
Bike call: Sustrans founder John Grimshaw.
DVCG member cycles Coast to Coast (Sept 08)
DVCG member, Antony Crowder cycled the Coast to Coast route from Workington to Sunderland during September in beautiful autumn sunshine to raise money for the Derwent Valley Cycleway. Anyone wishing to make a donation, please contact Antony.
Route Surveys undertaken (July 08)
Members of the group have been out and about along the Matlock to Rowsley section of the route during June and July. They have been surveying the different route options and updating the information from the original Sustrans survey done in 1998. There are different options for sections of the route and this information will be used to inform choices about the final route.
South Peak Sustrans Supporters Group formed (Feb 08)
Sustrans recently set up a local supporters group in the area, the South Peak Sustrans Supporters Group (SPSSG). One of the issues that the group will be focussing on is the Derwent Valley Greenway. This group should be able to bring experience and expertise to the campaign and work in a complimentary way with the DVCG.
A member of the DVCG, Martin Jones, will act as liaison between the DVCG and DVSSG.
West Derbyshire and High Peak Greenways Strategy (Jan 08)
The West Derbyshire and High Peak Greenways Strategy has recently been published by the County Council Countryside Service.The Derwent Valley Route is included in the document as a proposed route. The DVCG submitted comments on the Strategy in January 2008, as well as a petition of around 200 signatures in support of the route.
DVCG Supporters Meeting – 9thJan 08 at the Whitworth Centre, Darley Dale (Jan 08)
The meeting was attended by more than thirty enthusiastic supporters (names available) - not all cyclists, some walkers and others local residents wanting to support the DVCG.
Although there were some at the meeting who favoured ‘direct action’ the majority agreed that we remain a lobby group (of local people) trying to bring about the proposed Derwent Valley Cycleway as soon as possible by maintaining our ‘profile’ through the media and at consultation meetings, together with talking to individuals with influence over Council budgets and priorities. Together with encouraging support from other agencies such as Sustrans, the Peak District National Park Authority and others.