Campaigns
Including Cycling UK's Space For Cycling campaign
and Cycling UK's Cycle Advocacy Network
On this page you'll find issues that affect us as cyclists' right across the county.
Melanie Carroll is our Campaigns Officer and will be our 'Point Of Contact'.
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CAMPAIGNS OFFICER'S REPORT
You can download and read Melanie's latest 'Campaigns Officer's Report' (May 2022) HERE
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We would ask that any and all our members to also write to the council or other agencies when they become aware of issues that may effect themselves or other cyclists, as well as letting us know. It is no longer enough for just the voice of Cycling UK Lincolnshire to speak out, to ensure that we are heard and our needs appreciated it also needs many individual letters because each letter counts. Gone are the days when a membership organisation letter counted for the many. Now they need many letters from individuals to really make them take notice.
The work continues on and again I'd ask all Members to be active campaigners for cycle provision and safety and keep an eye on any proposed changes in their areas. Let us know too anything that we should be aware of, be it an accident blackspot, a proposed change to roads or right of ways, a new building works or estate or any other issue that needs the needs of the bicycle rider being kept front and centre.
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A QUICK GUIDE TO BASIC CAMPAIGNING THAT EVERYONE CAN DO
Melanie's written 'A quick guide to basic campaigning that everyone can do' and you can download and read the article HERE
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DISTRICT COUNCIL CONTACT INFORMATION
For contact information within East Lindsey, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire,
you can download and read the article HERE
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CAMPAIGNS ARCHIVE 2024
UPDATE 29th February 2024.
LINCOLNSHIRE WOLDS CYCLE PARK
The developers of a new cycle park in Lincolnshire Wolds state that it will be 'win-win' for everyone once completed.
Work on the park is set to begin in Spring 2024, depending upon acquiring planning permission, funding and good weather!
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What part of the cycle park will look like (Image: Lincs Design Consultancy)
The cycle park planned in the heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds, the county’s primary Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, will again be discussed by the council after dozens more objections and amended proposals.
The applicant, Lincs Design Consultancy Ltd, was first granted permission for the 100-acre off-road cycle park in the Hainton Estate, near South Willingham, in December 2022.
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This was given the green light despite the concerns of local villagers who feared it would create congestion in the Lincolnshire Wolds, though hundreds of cyclists across the county supported the scheme.
The proposed Wolds Cycle Park near South Willingham Photo: Lincs Design Consultancy
Proposals were for a change of use to the land to make way for a recreationally used cycle park, as well as the construction of associated cycle tracks/trails, a visitor centre, and provision for access and car parking.
Initial approval came with the condition that no development would take place until a method statement and construction management plan was submitted and approved in writing by the local planning authority.
This also included hard surface construction schedules, a scheme of works for landscaping and tree planting, archaeological investigations, and measures to mitigate against traffic generation and drainage of the site during construction stages.
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As such, there have been application requests to discharge and vary almost all conditions placed on the original approval to allow for a different phasing of the development, with an updated document to match each of the requests.
Condition 17 of the first approval relates to development phasing, of which the agent states that changes to the economic climate have meant “an alternative approach” is required.
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Instead, the applicant hopes to operate and generate an income “prior to all phases being completed.”
The first approved phasing was for enabling works to be done first, followed by trails in the south field and a learn to ride track, then the visitor centre, and finally accessible trails in the south-east field.
Now, proposals are for access roads, parking and off site passing places to be phase one, trails in the northern fields and the main perimeter loop trail for the bikes to be phase two, trails in the south field for phase three, and the visitor centre, pump track and learn to ride track coming last.
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East Lindsey District Council’s Planning Committee will consider multiple variations to the initial proposal due to a “significant number of objections and the recommendation to approve.”
A total of 69 representative neighbour objections were received on a number of grounds, including the possibility of it becoming an eyesore, the impact it could have on the character of the Lincolnshire Wolds, as well as impact on wildlife, road verges and more.
Notably, there was not one supporting comment in the public consultation on the fresh planning document, and it wasn’t just residents who had strong feelings against this development.
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Other objections include Natural England, which says the development would have a “significant impact on the purpose of designation of the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,” and South Willingham Parish Council, which says it is concerned around possible negative outcomes from relaxing requirements on the project.
The Parish Council fear the allowing of ad hoc events on a partially-developed site could include scarring the landscape of a 200-space car park which “could be the legacy of a failed development,” plus a lack of signage on approaches, destruction of habitat, and compromise to biodiversity.
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Lincolnshire County Councillor Patricia Bradwell, of the East Lindsey district, also objected to the application, on grounds that “only the car park and passing places will be provided,” along with fears of increased traffic along the “narrow” Donington Road.
However, the recommendation to the East Lindsey District Council Planning Committee, which will debate and discuss the Wolds Cycle Park on Thursday, March 7, is to approve the updated plan with conditions.
UPDATE 12th March 2023.
ACTIVE TRAVEL ENLGAND RATINGS 2023:
FULL DETAILS HERE
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Active Travel England has just published the local authority ratings for 2022.
The highest rating is rating 4, which denotes a council with significant local leadership, ambition and capability to deliver – a council without these things would be awarded a zero.
Active Travel England state "a zero rating is something no one wants, least of all Active Travel England, but to be effective, we must all work from an accurate starting point. We want every authority to succeed and be able to access funding, so we will provide a support package that includes dedicated training, guidance and access to design support. The ratings will be reviewed annually. If in the interim a local authority demonstrates its capability has improved significantly, there will be scope to change ratings sooner. We will help local authorities give people a real choice to travel actively if they wish".
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"We have seen some projects delivered without appropriate community engagement and instances in which trial measures have been abandoned too early to properly assess their effect. Poorly considered and badly delivered schemes waste taxpayers’ money and also make it harder to introduce new schemes in the future".
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"Ratings are used to guide the initial allocation of Active Travel and Capability Funding. Higher rated authorities are eligible to access more funding, however effectiveness, quality and deliverability will be the primary factors in deciding final allocations. Local authorities rated zero will not be invited to apply for the Active Travel Fund but may be eligible for capability funding if they wish to improve".
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Rating 1
Some local leadership with basic plans and isolated interventions that do not yet obviously form a plan for a network.
Rating 2
Strong local leadership, with clear plans that form the basis of an emerging network with a few elements already in place.
Rating 3
Very strong local leadership, comprehensive plans, and a significant network in place with a growing number of people choosing to walk, wheel and cycle.
Rating 4
Established culture of active travel with successive increases in walking, wheeling and cycling, underpinned by a dense integrated network and highly supportive policies to give more people the choice to walk or cycle.
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