Lancashire Campaign to appeal to the local council for the introduction of a new cycle system

Lancashire-CTC-Campaigner - Paul Stubbins, has joined forces with  Lancashire and District Cycle Campaign (LDCC), to rally Lancashire County Council (LCC) to provide safer routes for cyclists. Paul told of how locals were all for his proposed improvements.

Paul aims to ensure that the scheme will be implemented between Heysham and Lancaster, which is roughly North North East of Blackpool. The completion of his envisaged improvements will come from giving cyclists new rights along footpaths, and the new route can be seen on the attached map of the scheme. A leaflet that has been written about it is also appended.

He has made clear to me that cyclists moving between these two points urgently need an alternative, to either travelling along the long cycle path route via Morecambe, or to using the A683. He also feels that although many feel confident using the bypass, less experienced cyclists are not prepared to use it.

Another desire of the project, is to enable cycle-access to a local sports centre – Salt Ayre sport Centre, which he feels is particularly beneficial to cycling-families, who he feels certainly can’t hack the A-road afore-mentioned. He is of the opinion that without his proposals rendered, the situation will only get worse when the bypass is connected to the M6 motorway at the end of 2015.

Paul envisages that journey times could be massively cut – in terms of the journey from the centre of Heysham to the afore mentioned Sports centre, distance covered would become 4.5 miles, instead of 3.5.

Together with Stubbins, is the Lancashire Dynamo - a broad-based group established in 1994, to work with official bodies, other cycling organizations and interested individuals to promote cycling as a safe, enjoyable and healthy means of transport.

Upon LDCC and Paul colliding, an epetition was raised with their local council, and they ask would you please sign it and make their wish come true. In addition to this, they are both looking to also promote their cause with local newspapers.

Furthermore, the Dynamo currently carries out bi-weekly paper-petition contact gatherings, and these have already received about 1,000 signatures, a number Paul hopes to double. Stubbins told me of how locals were all for his proposed improvements. He was thrilled therefore, when he realised that CTC could increase exposure of his efforts, as he was in fear that they would otherwise 'fizzle-out'. The campaign, as a matter of fact, will be mentioned in the Touring Club’s Cycleclips.

Mid-June will be when the campaign will be over, so if you want to have an input into it all, then please don't delay.