Former High Peak MP Ruth George pushes county council over Buxton to Manchester cycle route

Ruth is campaigning for funding worth £1.7 million for work to make 13km of High Peak bridleways and footpaths “cycle-fit” - allowing safe cycling from Buxton to Manchester’s Beeline cycle routes.

Derbyshire County Council has put forward a route in Chesterfield for the county’s £1.7 million share of the Government’s Active Travel Fund - and is set to begin a public consultation on the proposal in March.

However Ruth says Chesterfield has “an entire network of cycle routes” already - while High Peak has had virtually no funds for safe cycling in recent years and is “full of dangerous roads” such as the A6 – with no alternative routes.

Simon Spencer, county council deputy leader and cabinet member for transport, says the East West Chesterfield cycle route was chosen as “the only one which fulfilled Government guidelines” over the funding.

Councillor Spencer told how the authority had to bid for a project which was “deliverable” - as opposed to others where land ownership and other issues could cause spiralling costs.

However Ruth says the Derbyshire to Manchester route would link 55,000 people across nine High Peak communities with the city.

And the Chesterfield Scheme - linking the Royal Hospital in the east with Holymoorside in the west - had already attracted “major” local opposition.

As part of the plans there is a proposal to close a road in Chesterfield - allowing cyclists to use the route instead to reach the hospital.

However residents living nearby to the proposed closure say there are “numerous” cycle and walking tracks as well as bridleways in the area which could have been considered.

Ruth said: “Hundreds of people in Chesterfield are objecting to the travel chaos being caused for this route to Chesterfield Hospital - while a maximum of 12 bikes have been counted at the hospital and there are flatter routes.

“Meanwhile we have a fantastic route in High Peak that links 55,000 people in nine communities, enabling us to cycle and walk more safely to shops, schools, work and for leisure as well as encouraging tourists to the historic tramway trail.

“It’s deeply disappointing that the county council failed to consider it - I hope they will now do the right thing and consult to allocate funding to a route that people want and will use.”

The proposed Derbyshire to Manchester route - if approved - would link nearly 55,000 people in nine High Peak communities throughout High Peak with a safe and largely off-road route between Disley and Buxton, following the Peak Forest Canal towpath and the route of the Peak Forest Tramway.

At present many parts of the proposed route need work, including a 200-metre field section of the Peak Forest Tramway near Dove Holes which would need resurfacing and the widening of a 400-metre footpath behind Buxton Railway Station.

Once routes along Peak Forest Canal towpath and Peak Forest Tramway were made fit for cycling the cycleway would link up with Greater Manchester’s cycle network via Disley and the Middlewood Way at High Lane and from there to the major Beeline cycle route into the centre of Stockport and Manchester.

The Peak Forest Canal towpath also extends to Marple and through Denton to Ashton, safely linking the communities of East Manchester to the Peak District along the towpath which is already promoted for cycling.

Ruth said: “Many cyclists live in High Peak and would like to commute to work in Greater Manchester by bike but without proper cycle lanes or off-road routes it’s dangerous, often unpleasant and can be slow.

“Many cyclists travel from the Manchester area to High Peak by car then do a day’s cycling on our beautiful cycle routes and return at the end of the day.

“They may buy a sandwich and hot drink at most - those who bring a packed lunch don’t spend at all which doesn’t assist our visitor economy.”

The proposed route provides easy rail links to Disley, New Mills, Furness Vale, Whaley Bridge, Dove Holes and Buxton on the Buxton line and Chinley on the Hope Valley Line.

And the route passes many of the major employers in High Peak - “enabling thousands more staff to cycle to work”, added Ruth.

Some of the firms which can be accessed from it include:

*Swizzels at Newtown

*Bingswood Industrial Estate, Tesco and B&M stores at Whaley Bridge

*Bridgeholme Industrial Estate at Chinley - including Stephanie Works and Regenix

*Federal Mogul, Aldi, Streetcrane, and Concept Life Sciences at Chapel-en-le-Frith

*Cemex quarry and Trent Buses at Dove Holes

*Nestle Waters site and Waterswallows at Green Fairfield

*Tunstead Quarry and Tongue Lane Industrial Estate

Ruth says the Derbyshire to Manchester route will allow more High Peak residents to commute to work in Greater Manchester or other towns in High Peak.

And more school children will be able to cycle safely to school - reducing congestion on roads and public transport and improving fitness, health and wellbeing.

She said: “It will increase the length of stay for cyclists visiting Derbyshire, encouraging overnight stays and a higher visitor spend.

“It will also bring the full length of the historic Peak Forest Tramway into use as a tourist destination in its own right - as well as the historic features along its length and aiding promotion of the existing features along the Peak Forest canal and between Buxworth and Charley Lane.

Derbyshire County Council will be consulting over the East West Chesterfield cycle route from March 8 until March 31.

It will be available to view at https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/council/have-your-say/consultation-search/consultation-details/east-west-chesterfield-cycle-route.aspx.

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