Jump to content

ENJOY LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE SAYS CANAL CHARITY


Ray T

Featured Posts

Videos and photos - https://www.dropbox.com/sh/84ftf297hiz3uvw/AACNTLivHQb8EpTkEuJ4L2FTa?dl=0 

ENJOY LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE SAYS CANAL CHARITY 

·       Canal charity drafts in support from ‘sleeping policeman’ to urge people to slow down when on the nation’s towpaths

·       Speedsters encouraged to enjoy the slow lane

 With Canal & River Trust’s towpaths fast becoming one of the nation’s favourite places to relax, the charity is urging people to slow down to ensure they remain the special places millions of people enjoy visiting every year.

In a recent survey* by the Canal & River Trust as part of its Share the Space, Drop your Pace campaign, nearly a quarter (23%) of people said their biggest bugbears in public places is when cyclists speed past them so the charity is helping to remind people to watch their speed.  With half of Brits (50%) going out of their way to find a quieter/greener area to escape the hustle and bustle of main roads this will be welcome news to those who like life by the water.

Throughout the summer the charity will spray messages on the towpath in the busiest areas around England and Wales to encourage people to ‘slow down and look around’ and that there’s ‘no need to rush, just relax’.  Visitors will also be able to spot a 3D image of a sleeping policeman at certain points along the towpath encouraging people to drop their pace, a light-hearted nod to the physical speed measure often seen on roads.

During 2016, 396 million visits were made to charity’s towpaths by walkers, cyclists, boaters, anglers and runners, a huge number considering they were originally designed for horses to tow boats laden with goods. 

Dick Vincent, Canal & River Trust’s national towpath ranger, says: “Towpaths are wonderful places to visit, whether you use them every day to commute to work or visit them occasionally for a nice walk after Sunday lunch.  They are calm green spaces in the concrete jungles of cities and people come to them to relax and unwind from the stresses of everyday life.  Unfortunately, some people chose to go too fast when they are cycling or running on the towpaths and this is causing problems for other visitors, particularly during commuting hours. 

“Pedestrian’s take priority on our towpaths so we’re asking people who cycle and run too fast to please slow down and take time to enjoy their towpath visit.  If you are trying to beat the clock on an app or in a rush to get to work, the towpaths are not for you so choose another route. 

Due to the heritage and environmental constraints and the need to make sure towpaths are easy for everyone to access, there are limited opportunities for the charity to add physical speed measures to the towpaths and the survey showed that 73 per cent of people agreed that physical speed measures are either a bad idea (50%) or should be used only as a last resort (23%).   

Dick continues: “We hope our new recruit will help us spread the message, and a smile, to slow down and to enjoy your time on our historic slow lanes.  Life is much better by the water…but you might end up in it if you go too fast!  Slow down and enjoy the ride.”

Sam Jones at national charity and campaigning body Cycling UK, says: “I cycle to work every day along our towpaths and love nothing more than exploring our beautiful waterway routes.  Travelling at a leisurely pace I can truly enjoy the beauty of the seasons along our banks and chat with others passing by from families to boaters moored up.  I’d urge everyone to hop on their wheels and enjoy the tranquillity of the towpaths this summer, but don’t just rush through and miss it!  It’s not a motorway, so if you find you’re travelling a little too fast around others, take it easy and then everyone can enjoy our canals equally.”

National towpath ranger Dick Vincent and the sleeping policeman will be on tour this summer visiting hot spots across England and Wales where people may need a reminder to travel slowly.

For further information about the Share the Space, Drop your Pace campaign, visit https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/our-campaigns/share-the-space-our-towpath-code

For further information about the towpath policy ‘Better Towpaths for Everyone’, visit  https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/new-policy-aims-to-give-better-towpaths-for-everyone

Ends

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The trouble with enjoying life in the slow lane, is that towpaths are only one lane. Bridge holes and narrow sections all should be a message to those that speed. 4 mph is the best message to hand out and barriers should be put back into use to spell out this message. An open barrier allows acceleration which leads to speeding! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, zenataomm said:

All good stuff and relevant, however it's too wordy and long.

A simple statement is all that's needed: -

"Going by Boat? ... On Foot? ..... Or Bike? .... Then it's 4MPH !!"

Is there a 4mph limit on the towpath? If not, is there any reason not to impose one?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

Is there a 4mph limit on the towpath? If not, is there any reason not to impose one?

I was hoping that the principle if you keep saying something it moves into custom and tradition would help make it so.

I've always thought 4mph for both canal and towpath the obvious way forward.

And before anyone comments "Who/How would it be policed?"

My answer is the same way boats are ...... Peer group pressure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, zenataomm said:

All good stuff and relevant, however it's too wordy and long.

A simple statement is all that's needed: -

"Going by Boat? ... On Foot? ..... Or Bike? .... Then it's 4MPH !!"

Have you forwarded this idea to CRT?  If not, you should.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, zenataomm said:

All good stuff and relevant, however it's too wordy and long.

A simple statement is all that's needed: -

"Going by Boat? ... On Foot? ..... Or Bike? .... Then it's 4MPH !!"

It is a good concept but one that does not sit easy with CRT having accepted funding for towpath resurfacing from cycling groups to create cycle-ways for communing etc.

For example the Birmingham Cycle Revolution project http://www.bhamcyclerevolution.org.uk/page/24/cycling-on-canal-towpaths  If you look at their maps the travel times on towpaths are based on 9mph cycling and 3mph walking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, zenataomm said:

All good stuff and relevant, however it's too wordy and long.

A simple statement is all that's needed: -

"Going by Boat? ... On Foot? ..... Or Bike? .... Then it's 4MPH !!"

 

17 hours ago, Machpoint005 said:

Is there a 4mph limit on the towpath? If not, is there any reason not to impose one?

Does anybody seriously think that those boat men that used to use bikes for lock wheeling travelled anything like as slowly as 4 mph.

It would rather defeat the object!

I find a suggestion that cycling at more than 4 mph on any stretch of towpath should be discouraged fairly daft.

I do agree that foot and boat users should always have priority over cyclists, but there are regularly miles and miles of towpath with no foot users at all, and I can see no argument for suggesting that cycling on them at a faster speed where there are no other users should be discouraged.

It should be about people being sensible.  There is very little point in introducing rules that it is impossible to enforce.  People recognise them as such, and most will ignore them.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My biggest bugbear is cyclists who have no bell and who don't advertise their arrival.  They seem to assume a right of way.  What's wrong with a cheery 'hello' and a 'passing on your right'?   Of course, some walkers are deaf or hard of hearing. Cyclists need to slow down and be prepared to stop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, Machpoint005 said:

Is there a 4mph limit on the towpath? If not, is there any reason not to impose one?

If that was the case how would you cycle ahead and have the next lock ready if you cant go faster than the boat is travelling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

If that was the case how would you cycle ahead and have the next lock ready if you cant go faster than the boat is travelling.

There are cyclist and " Cyclists " the ones with brains and common sense cycle at a pace sensible for the stretch of path they are on according to who and what is about. The others wear lycra.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

There are cyclist and " Cyclists " the ones with brains and common sense cycle at a pace sensible for the stretch of path they are on according to who and what is about. The others wear lycra.

No, there are cyclists... end of.

Then there are nice, understanding considerate people and arseholes.

There doesn't need to be any limits imposed as Alan has rightly said, just the consideration of boaters and walking people on the towpath, if around any then slow right down.

Simple really.

 

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Dave Payne said:

No, there are cyclists... end of.

Then there are nice, understanding considerate people and arseholes.

There doesn't need to be any limits imposed as Alan has rightly said, just the consideration of boaters and walking people on the towpath, if around any then slow right down.

Simple really.

 

Can you say " arseholes " :o isnt that naughty? B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

so because of CRT silly reasoning the Cycle fences which had Radar key opening gates are being left open Our previous licences paid for these .So moored in Whhelock and two trail type Motorbikes came from Middlewich direction at speed along the towpath .Thank you CRT for another change that was not discussed with canal and towpath users on the toothless panel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

If that was the case how would you cycle ahead and have the next lock ready if you cant go faster than the boat is travelling.

No boat can possibly travel at 4mph (average) through a flight of locks.

 

3 hours ago, john6767 said:

It is a good concept but one that does not sit easy with CRT having accepted funding for towpath resurfacing from cycling groups to create cycle-ways for communing etc.

For example the Birmingham Cycle Revolution project http://www.bhamcyclerevolution.org.uk/page/24/cycling-on-canal-towpaths  If you look at their maps the travel times on towpaths are based on 9mph cycling and 3mph walking.

It may well be possible to cycle at 9mph (average) on city towpaths but I suggest that the condition of many rural towpaths would render such a speed impracticable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

No boat can possibly travel at 4mph (average) through a flight of locks.

 

It may well be possible to cycle at 9mph (average) on city towpaths but I suggest that the condition of many rural towpaths would render such a speed impracticable.

These towpaths  have all been resurfaced to provide a smooth hard surface for cycling so I don't think 9mph is hard at all, from the BCR site

Quote

Working in partnership with Canal and River Trust, we have almost completed resurfacing over 50km of canal towpath in the city with a clean, well-drained, grippy grit surface.

That is the point, CRT did not pay for this so it is hard for them to dictate how they are used.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, john6767 said:

These towpaths  have all been resurfaced to provide a smooth hard surface for cycling so I don't think 9mph is hard at all, from the BCR site

 

Do they explain how a boat can average 4mph through an urban lock flight though? :D

Otherwise, good answer to my point above about why a 4mph limit can't be imposed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those who cycle along the towpath fall into two categories the responsible and the irresponsible. Those in the second category appear to forget that any approach to the rear of walkers may not be heard by them. The scare can lead to the walker falling over tow ropes or worse slipping into the canal or being forced up the bank

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

 

Does anybody seriously think that those boat men that used to use bikes for lock wheeling travelled anything like as slowly as 4 mph.
It would rather defeat the object!


It should be about people being sensible. 

Everything comes down to people should be sensible ....... because they're not is why we have rules about "the bl33din obvious".

The opportunist, selfish minority will always spoil it for the majority and tutting about solutions doesn't stop old ladies being mown down or pets killed.

I don't see any relevance whether anybody seriously thinks that "those boat men that used to use bikes for lock wheeling travelled anything like as slowly as 4 mph"  This isn't the 1930s, there is no demand to get to Sampson Road Wharf by Tuesday.

Eighty years ago it was common practice to shout obscenities at train drivers so they'd throw lumps of coal at you.

That's not relevant to today either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, john6767 said:

If you look at their maps the travel times on towpaths are based on 9mph cycling and 3mph walking.

Relatively speaking, that is a huge speed differential. A bit like allowing a certain category of motorway users to travel allowing the 210mph :angry:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.