It’s been 13 years since Nottinghamshire County Council spent £350,000 on an accessibility scheme for Ruddington – which included installing cycle paths on Wilford Road and Clifton Road.
The Wilford Road one in particular has been well used – by all but the most ‘serious’ cyclists (who it appears still prefer to ride on the road!). However, since 2010, a lack of maintenance has resulted in overgrown trees and a ‘creeping’ verge quite dramatically reducing its width. This is especially problematic given that bikes share the path with pedestrians – meaning either one or the other can be forced out onto the road to get past.
It’s an issue that’s long been highlighted by campaign group Nottingham People on Bikes – who took the above photo of Wilford Road, asking: “Why is it that in Notts, bike paths are left to rack and ruin or overgrowth? This totally works against Active Travel and cutting carbon emissions…..”
Well, after ten years of campaigning, keen Ruddington cyclist Julian Bentley has some very welcome news! He says: “Via East Midlands tells me that the path will now be included in the ‘urban programme’ and so will get 4/5 cuts per year (as opposed to the 1 or 2 done if we chivvied them enough). The 4/5 cuts a year programme is good news for Active Travel, People’s Health, the Climate Crisis and also lowering the amount of litter thrown from car windows (neglected/overgrown areas increase littering). As well as for bike riders, having a clear, safe path will also be of great benefit to its other users – schoolchildren, parent and pushchairs, walkers, etc.”
Julian adds: “I calculate that I have spent 40-50 hours ever year working (reporting, chivvying, complaining, organising volunteer pruning sessions) since 2013…. so that’s 400 hrs or 17 full days! My Grounds Maintenance experience tells me that 4/5 cuts a year will most likely eliminate the soil/vegetation creep/matting that you get with irregular cutting.”
The email sent to Julian by VIA assures him there will be 2 more cuts this year, then 5 per year from 2024 onwards. Following the latest cut, he took the photograph below, further along Wilford Road, to indicate the extent of the current problem, explaining: “The white dots show the line of the (still obscured) 20″ of tarmac path width!”
If we hear of any further progress restoring the Wilford Road cycle path to its full, original width, we’ll let you know here at RUDDINGTON.info.
