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TransPennine Trail
17 November 2009 - 6:24pm — PW
I have also attempted to ride the link from Staveley Station through to the canal at Mill Green. The path is a bloody disgrace. Apart from a couple of sections under the two road bridges it is a moonscape ankle deep in mud and definitely NOT rideable. I spent 10 minutes trying to clean the worst off the wheels and my shoes before continuing home to Chesterfield. Anyone going that way should continue to divert via Lowgates (use the side road between the bridge and the Speedwell pub) and Morrisons car park. Don't use the path down the side of the church yard, it's currently covered in wet leaves and very slippery.
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Not bad now
It's very bumpy (lots of broken brick infill) but passable now, and we rode Chesterfield to Rother Valley and back with three kids without any issues.
Simon
Postscript
For those travelling between Killamarsh/Renishaw and Chesterfield it is now possible to alter the diversion a little. Follow the railway path southwards underneath Lowgates, then turn left and double back up Belmont Drive, coming out on the eastern end of the new bridge. Timewise this only saves a couple of minutes but it avoids the right turn across the traffic onto the A619, instead the southbound rider can turn left, left again at the mini roundabout, then right past the church to Morrisons car park and so to the towpath.
Trans Pennine Trail
I went along there on Sunday, the first weekend of opening. It looks as though they've opened it prematurely because some of it seems dangerous to me (for instance, the mud slide into the canal!).
I believe the bark chip path is meant to be a temporary measure until the canal basin is built (due before March 2010) but it's hopeless and was already completely poached up when I went.
What do you think of the path widths, where they have been surfaced? I measured them at 1.8 metres which seems too narrow for a shared path with pedestrians. When you see the work that DCC have done on the stretch up to Rother Valley -- which looks a good 4 metres to me, 5 in places -- I can't understand how the developers have got away with producing something so narrow.
When you consider how popular the Canal tow path is (and how difficult the narrow path can be when it's busy) then I can imagine that the new Staveley canal basin area will be equally popular and suffer the same congestion problems.
For another alternative route suggestion, I noticed that there is now an access point onto the trail from the end of Huntsman Road, here:
http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=53.2676,-1.347799&spn=0.002217,0.004823&z=18
Alternatives.
That exit off Huntsman looks useful, straight up Porter Street and across Morrisons car park to the towpath. I'll have a look Monday lunchtime.
Huntsman Rd
Well I've been going that way for the best part of a week now, a vast improvement over Lowgates traffic, without the sludgebath. So if you're coming south from Renishaw etc. stay on the trail under the Lowgates Bridge, cross the new road at the lights (new road not open yet, ride straight over) then up Huntsman, cross the A619 (if the traffic's bad there's a light controlled crossing 10 feet left of the Huntsman Rd junction but I've rarely needed it) then up Porter St, left onto the old High St and right through Morrisons Car Park, thence to Mill Green and the towpath. Heading the other way just beware on the old High St - it's almost pedestrianised but not quite and it's one way. It may be an idea to walk from Morrisons Car Park to the top of Porter St. (It's opposite the Elm Tree pub, only a few yards).
PW.
Contraflow?
Perhaps we should take the opportunity to ask for contraflow access?
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23782140-cyclists-can-ignore-one-way-streets-in-city.do
Simon
Hollingwood Lock Car Park
There are notices up for the closure of the towpath between Dixons Lock and Hollingwood Lock between 15th March and 4th April, for public safety during car park construction.
I'm inclined to doubt the legality of this, IIRC statutory notices have to be published in the press and on site for at least a fortnight prior to the closure. I haven't seen anything in the Derbyshire Times and the site notices only appeared on Friday 12th March.
The work hasn't started yet and the path was still open this morning. Stated diversion is via Station Road to the Hollingwood Centre then along a footpath to Dixons Lock.
Hollingwood Lock Car Park
The following Public Notices have now been published in the Chesterfield Advertiser (dated 19th March):
WHEN: From 05 April 2010 to 08 May 2010
WHERE: Public Footpath No 9 (Part), Brimington and Public Footpath No 1 (Part), Staveley, towpath closed between Dixon's Lock and Hollingwood Lock, Hollingwood.
REASON: To facilitate public safety during construction of car park at Hollingwood Lock.
ALTERNATIVE ROUTE: Will be via Footpath No 22 and Station Road.
BRIDLEWAY CLOSURE EXTENSION
PUBLIC BRIDLEWAY NO 19 (PART) BRIMINGTON
Notice is hereby given that the Order made by Derbyshire County Council on 08 October 2009 under Section 14 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended) the effect of which was to close Public Bridleway No 19 (Part) Brimington, has been further continued.
The alternative route will be shown on the attached plan.
The bridleway will be closed until 10 April 2010 or until the works are completed, whichever is the sooner, to facilitate public safety during path imprvements works.
I'm a bit unsure about why the towpath needs to be closed. From the plans I've seen, CHE/09/00296/FUL, the car park is on the opposite side of the canal from the towpath. Does anyone know if cyclists will be given an exemption to cycle along footpath no 22 during the works?
I'm presuming that the second notice relates to the bridleway off Grove Road at Brimington Common, which was closed to cyclists and horse riders last year following water damage.
Does anyone know if there's a map online which shows how footpaths and bridleways are numbered? The Council regularly identifies paths and bridleways in this way but, apart from making an educated guess, I don't know how to identify where they are actually talking about.
Path closures.
The works have started, as you said on the opposite side of the cut and the towpath is still open this lunchtime.
I don't know of any online versions, but the definitive map should be available for viewing at the library. The "Sludge Hill" bridleway off Grove Road is the only one I'm aware of being closed currently. To be honest it's always been a bit of a mess, (hence the name to old Taptonians!) and I wouldn't bother about it. It was always unrideable on a bike and I can remember it back in the late 1950s.