Ian Dent

The Government is currently collecting feedback on how they should replace the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments to farmers. This is a great opportunity to press for incentives to allow better access to farmland and the creation of cycleways, etc.

Providing these incentives would have a great impact on the ease of creating the Derwent Valley Cycleway and you’re encouraged to add your support to the Cycling UK demands.

For more information and to add your support see here

 

Derby City Council commissioned a study (by Amion) on the benefits of the Derby to Matlock Derwent Valley Cycleway which concludes that investment in the cycleway would provide “Very High” 4.8:1 benefits from any investment. The majority of the returns would be from the impact of the cycleway on commuting journey quality although there would also be other economic benefits from health improvements and employment. The study uses modelling approaches as recommended by the DfT.

The full study can be downloaded here. This includes the conclusion that “… represents “Very High” value for money, and fits well with recently-approved D2N2 cycling projects.”

Derbyshire County Council are currently reviewing their proposed key cycle network and deciding on priorities for investment. This report is a very powerful argument for including the Derwent Valley Cycleway as a high priority project within this plan.

The Derby City Planning Control Committee have approved the plans for the multi-user path from Derby Rowing club to Darley Abbey (The Abbey pub) by 6 votes to 3.

Excellent news for the Derwent Valley Cycleway as this new path will link with the Cycleway and provide sustainable travel access into the park. It will also create an superb facility for youngsters, scooter riders, old people, people with disabilities, etc. to do circular tours along both sides of the Derwent (through Darley Fields, through the mill, and back through Darley Park and over Handyside Bridge).

Well done to all those who supported the proposals and made their views known to the decision makers. Also well done for the City Councillors on the planning committee who could see the huge benefits that the path will provide.

After a long delay sorting out issues of crossing the Peak Rail railway line, the route from Matlock to Rowsley is now officially open. This is part of the White Peak Loop and will form part of the Matlock to Baslow Derwent Valley Cycleway.

Great bit of route well built by Derbyshire County Council.

As part of the response to the Derbyshire Key Cycle Network consultation, we’ve created a document laying out the arguments (and supporting data) for the Derwent Valley Cycleway. This document shows how strong the benefits from creating the cycleway are, and, we believe, makes the overwhelmingly argument for including the Cycleway as a priority in the Key Cycle Network.

The document can be found here (3.5MB).

This Tuesday’s Derby Telegraph included a positive article about the cycleway. Thanks for Derek Latham for writing the article and getting it published.

The article can be seen online here.