Path upgrade makes commuter route

A brand new commuter cycling route is to be created in Oxfordshire by upgrading and resurfacing a field path.

The muddy Winnaway, from Harwell village to the Harwell Science Campus, will be widened and resurfaced to provide a comfortable, direct route. It will officially be reclassified as a Public Bridleway, which permits cycling.

A mini roundabout and ‘refuge’ islands at Harwell will make it easier for cyclists to cross the A417, while at the Science Campus, a short new length of cycle path will be built to give access both to the offices and to the existing Sustrans NCN route 544. 

Oxfordshire County Council says that both commuters and leisure cyclists will benefit from the improved path. HarBUG, the local campaign group, says it is “not a moment too soon, especially for those who have been cycling across the Winnaway with snorkels and flippers over the winter”.

One-third of election candidates back cycling

The London Cycling Campaign’s plan to sign up local election candidates to support cycling is working. Over one-third of candidates for the London elections have pledged to back the Space for Cycling campaign.

The figures include an amazing 99% support rate in Hackney, where every single major party has pledged to back it en masse. Over two-thirds of candidates have promised support in Islington, Greenwich, Croydon, and Hammersmith & Fulham. Every Green candidate has endorsed the manifesto, together with 37% of Labour candidates and 34% of LibDems – but only 11% of Conservatives, and a risible 0.2% of UKIP candidates.

Ashok Sinha, chief executive of LCC, said: “We’re thrilled to have the support of over a third of London's local election candidates. We invite all Londoners to join tomorrow’s Big Ride in central London, to put more pressure on all our politicians to support safe Space for Cycling in streets throughout the capital.”

Implausible load-carrying by bike - or is it?

China’s cyclists are renowned for carrying implausibly large loads on their bikes. Artist Alain Delorme has taken this one step further by Photoshopping teetering stacks onto images of Chinese cyclists. The work, ‘Totems’, would seem ridiculous – were it not for real-life pictures like these.

Beautiful Italian cycle touring website

Planning a cycle holiday to Italy? If you weren’t, you might be after perusing the beautiful new Bicitalia website, home of Italy’s own national cycle network. Admittedly it’s all in Italian (fancy that), but the pictures and the promises of rural routes are enough in themselves. We’re tempted…

Tour campsite cancelled after “disappointing sales”

The owners of a ‘pop-up’ campsite for the Tour de France have announced its cancellation following “disappointing ticket sales and excessive red tape”.

Kidstones Camping, in Upper Wharfedale, was situated on farmland at Kidstones Bank – the first significant climb of the Tour on Saturday 5th July. Described by the Guardian as “one of the most spectacular settings on the route”, the site was offering pitches for up to £199. The family-owned enterprise was expecting between 1,500 and 2,000 visitors.

However, they now say that they are unable to go ahead. In a message posted on their website, the owners report:

“A combination of disappointing ticket sales and excessive red tape mean that Kidstones Camping can no longer offer camping for the race. We have invested very heavily in both time and money but feel that a partial cancellation is the best way forward. We will be contacting everyone who has already booked to offer them our apologies together with full refunds plus suggested alternatives.”

Planned facilities had included two bars, catering, big screens to watch the race, water and toilets. Showers were originally promised, but were later withdrawn because of “restrictions on water supply, gas storage, and extended road closures”.

Other sites further down the valley still have spaces available, such as Velofest at Kilnsey. The Guardian listed a selection of campsites in March.