Bike Accessibility

Bicycle Accessibility should be a key factor to consider for park maintenance and the creation / networking of new parks.

Within parks, cycle accessible routes should be available where reasonable to do so.

These paths should not be exclusive for bikes only but should include a certain quality of path surfacing and maintenance to allow access to bikes.

Good access to the parks via bike from other cycle routes, such as the national cycle network, should also be considered when deciding the location of new park(s).

Why the contribution is important

This could guarantee an activity for people to do to keep healthy, promote a new way of experiencing larger national parks, and in conjunction with a related idea for improved public transport access, this would make access to these spaces more environmentally friendly.

A bike accessible place, with well maintains paths, would also have the advantage of giving improved general accessibility, such as for wheelchairs and people with other mobility issues.

by lm0001 on May 19, 2022 at 12:56PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.2
Based on: 5 votes

Comments

  • Posted by JeremyHW May 19, 2022 at 21:17

    Walking, cycling, sailing and canoeing are integral elements of what a national park is all about. Fairly non-intrusive. Experiencing of the environment directly and physically with resultant interpretation, celebration and enjoyment.
  • Posted by Prentice May 20, 2022 at 10:50

    I agree the South of Scotland for example has the 7Stanes which are World Class Mountain Biking Centres which span the area, over half a million visitors ride some 400km of the 7Stanes trials every year.

    https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/activities/mountain-biking/7stanes/what-are-the-7-stanes?highlight=WyJhbGwiLCInYWxsIiwiYWxsJy4iXQ==

    A National Park here would therefor likely have biking trails that could be used to get around the park as well as explore the wider area
  • Posted by lauramoodie May 23, 2022 at 09:53

    It's essential that any new National Park challenges the car-dependency of a lot of rural tourism. I'd like to see any Park developed combine public and active travel options in its creation, so that all parts of it can be reached without cars if needed. This will require innovative approaches to rural public transport and provide a benefit to the environment, visitors and local communities. A hub and spoke system of shuttle buses with bike transport built in that connects to rail and bus stations could work well.
  • Posted by DT2978 May 31, 2022 at 09:54

    Bike access and the link between bike and rail transport should be key. The key element here is to provide a managed network. The growth in E-bikes has allowed people to get into the wider countryside without cars, which is great, but they have also allowed more people to access sensitive areas on bikes, where previously there was little bike access. This includes places such as the Cairngorm Plateau, where declining species like Dotterel, Twite and Snow Bunting breed.
    Access is massively important, but there needs to be a mechanism in the system for bike access to be restricted in sensitive areas, which in reality probably account for 15-20% of the land area. This mechanism needs to be administered by a number of stakeholders, so that it can not be abused for other purposes.
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