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BIG Cycle

Cycling covers a huge spectrum, including the following: Road Biking, Mountain Biking, BMX, Cycle Trials, Stunt Cycling, Cyclo-Cross, Triathlon, Fitness Cycling, Static Bikes, Disabled Cycling, Cycle Speedway, Cycle Maintenance, Cycle Coaching, Cycle Routes, Cycle Training & Safety, Bikes, Kit, Accessories, Olympic and British Champion Cyclists, Cycle Maps, Cycle Events. Many of these are currently flourishing and developing in the Bradford district. Indeed, Bradford has a great cycling heritage. It has produced and is still producing many top professional cyclists and Olympians. The aim of the BIGcycle portal is to create a greater awareness of what is going on by pulling together all of the diverse strands of cycling activity across the Bradford district. The initial steps towards such awareness raising have been via the new district Cycling Forum which has met on three occasions since late 2007. This involves some 20+ attendees from a variety of backgrounds and has culminated in the inaugural “National Bike Week” CycleFest at Lister Park in June 2009.

Why Cycling?

Cycling isn’t just about sport and racing. It’s an activity that also meets Health, Social, Education, Environmental, Transport, Economic and Regeneration Agendas. So many different people cycle nowadays, from across all age groups and social backgrounds and for so many different purposes, that it is difficult to accurately describe a definitive “cyclist”. It is important to realise this, because there is sometimes a perception that cyclists are somewhat wacky people who follow alternative lifestyles, wear strange clothes (including acres of lycra!), eat strange nuts and berries and constantly preach to all and sundry about how they should also be changing their lives! So remember, most people cycle because it is fun, it makes them feel good and because it gives a sense of freedom that is increasingly hard to find in a pressurised world. Cycling is generally fun, even with hills and Yorkshire weather!! Cycling in Bradford & District – A Growth Industry!! Cycling is booming!! Bradford’s cycling retail outlets are bucking the current recessionary trend. Bernie Burns, owner of Keighley-based Aire Valley Cycles, reports that business is brisk for a number of reasons: “People are looking at bikes instead of buying a second car because of the economic climate. Various salary-saving incentive schemes that make buying a good bike a real possibility, plus greater awareness of cycling and gradually improving cycling infrastructure, are really helping.”
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Safe Cycling

It is true that many people (especially parents) are very apprehensive about cycling on the roads. It is also true that cyclists share the roads with motorists and other users and that harmony does not always reign! There are three elements that are needed in order to help to remedy such a situation:

  • Training of Cyclists
  • Improvement of Cycling Infrastructure
  • Better Understanding of Cycling by Motorists

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a) Training and Guidance for Cyclists

A considerable amount has already been achieved in terms of accessing Bikeability Training which is targeted at schoolchildren, ie, the right time to learn the right habits. Through a partnership between Bradford Council’s Transport Department and Bradford & Airedale Teaching Primary Care Trust, with support from the local Sports Colleges, the CTC and other partners, a number of National Standards tutors have been trained up to deliver Bikeability in Schools in the Bradford District. This scheme is free of charge to the schools and trains its pupils through Level 1 and Level 2. Level 1 is very similar to the old cycling proficiency and level 2 includes vital-on road training, showing children from years 5 to 7 how to safely use the roads. Information on this can be got from Paul Hart at Bradford Council Transport paul.hart@bradford.gov.uk it is hoped that this scheme will continue over the next years and more tutors will be trained up. The Keighley “Just Ride” Cycle Club (KJRCC), opened by Chair of Sport England Derek Mapp in 2007, has now achieved British Cycling “Go-Ride” Clubmark status. Local Community Sports Coach Richard Taylor leads on this community based club which was originally based at Worth Valley Primary School on Saturday mornings, where an excellent 500m off road cycling track has been constructed. Since the beginning of March 2009 the club has moved its main base to Marley to take advantage of the new route being made available (see below) and the easier access to the facility from more areas around the Aire Valley. At present the club has members mainly of primary school age (although it is open to people of all ages and abilities) and many of the sessions are aimed at teaching youngsters how to ride better. The club runs three sessions per month at Marley and the first session of every month is an off-site ride on the local moors Harden and Penistone. See www.kjrcc.co.uk. There are also a number of improver rides along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal on Saturday afternoons aimed at juniors; these are led by Chris Armstrong who is also a National Standards coach. East Bradford Cycling Club , based at Richard Dunn Sports Centre near Odsal www.ebccsaturdaybikeclub.co.uk and Bradford Bandits BMX Club based at Peel Park www.bradfordbmxbandits.org.uk , are also “Go-Ride” Clubs and also have vibrant and growing memberships. All are welcome. For older riders who perhaps haven’t ridden for many years and are also conscious of their initial safety on or off the roads there is plenty of support as well. Linked to KJRCC are Beginner and Improver Rides. Richard Taylor, working along side the local Primary Care Trust and the CTC, has arranged a number of rides in the Aire Valley. The beginner rides are aimed at families with young children or adults new to or returning to cycling. The rides start at 9:30am on the 2nd Sunday of every month and are on easy, quiet and un-technical terrain of around 3-5 miles. It is hoped that some of the participants from a number of “come and try” cycling sessions and that have been arranged through the PCT and CTC in the Bradford District (contact Viv Carnea at Viv.carnea@ctc.org.uk) will link into these rides in the future. The aim is simply to allow people the chance to discover new places to ride that they may explore by themselves in the future. The improver rides are the next step up and involve either greater distances or more challenging terrain. These rides are aimed at adults and young people who are able to cover over 7 miles off road in a reasonable time. Again it is hoped that those who feel that the beginner rides are a little easy will move up to these rides. The Improver rides are the 4th Sunday in every month starting at 9:30am. Contact Richard on 07982 730196. As mentioned above, Viv Carnea is working locally for the Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC – see www.ctc.org.uk) to increase the participation of adults in cycling either as a hobby or as a mode of transport. Viv has a variety of schemes in place around the district for a variety of target groups, working with a number of partners including BCEP and the University of Bradford. There is also safety in numbers for established cyclists – Dave Carpenter has established the Aire Valley Bike Bus as an incentive for more people to cycle to work in company, the “bus” of riders giving people the confidence to tackle the route within a group. More information is available at info@airevalleybikebus.org. As a result of funds raised by some high-profile charity rides to Bradford’s twin city of Hamm in Germany, Bradford Disability Sports Association (www.bradforddisabilitysports.co.uk), have recently enabled the set up of a Disability Cycling Club at Lister Park, with several specially adapted bikes and numerous fully-trained coaches and leaders drawn from across the community.
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b) Improved Cycling Infrastructure

Bradford is surrounded by superb countryside that gives access to some of the best developing cycling infrastructure in the country. Whilst cycling through the towns and city areas is still sometimes challenging, there are many improvements and initiatives already happening: Maps - the Bradford Cycling Map, which includes a specific Keighley section, has just been re-published by Bradford Council. The map contains all the cycle paths and routes within the Bradford area and is aimed at leisure cyclist and commuters showing alternative routes to the main roads. It is more than just a map – it is designed to ultimately link to Garmins and other GPS systems to provide “on-bike” navigation systems allowing various routes to be planned, including “most direct”, “least hill”, etc. Contact Fiona Limb at fiona.limb@bradford.gov.uk for details or look for free copies at Keighley Town Hall or various retailers. Linked into the above, local cyclists are working with Bradford & Airedale tPCT to create a series of short and easy routes for novice cyclists to explore. There will eventually be six maps: one for each of the Bradford Constituencies and an overall masterplan. It is hoped that each route will have a starter route of about 3 miles and at least one other extension route to allow riders to progress. These extensions will be up to about 10 miles and may even link to rides in other areas of the district. Roads – there is the opportunity to feedback to the Local Transport Plan, and BIGcycle feedback will also be promoted into local plans such as the City Centre Strategy, the Local Development Framework and the Airedale Masterplan. There are draft suggested plans showing potential Cycleways across Bradford and Keighley, linking some of the main routes and also every school in the city and district to try and build upon the “Safe Routes to School” initiative. The suggestions will be fed into strategic plans as discussed above (see also below).
Cycle Lanes – there are many good cycle lanes throughout Bradford and lobbying is underway for the extension of cycle lanes where possible.
Cycle Paths – Bradford is linked to the National Cycle Network (NCN, for which Sustrans was recently voted the best national lottery project) via the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, the Shipley Canal Corridor, southwards through Bowling Park to link with the Spen Valley Greenway and also via the Great Northern Railway Trail Great Northern Trail at Cullingworth and Queensbury. To see how close you are to the NCN, just enter your postcode into the search engine at www.sustrans.org.uk for an interactive map of available routes. The Airedale Greenway Project is now nearing fruition which has established routes that link the towns of Keighley, Bingley and Shipley to the NCN Route 69 on the canal. For details of NCN Route 69 see www.sustrans.org.uk. Sustrans also intends to build across Manchester Road in Bradford as part of its successful £50m “Connect2” lottery project. This will form a vital link between ongoing work in the Trident area of Bradford and the south-east of the city. There is also a planned Keighley to Oxenhope Cycleway, an initial part of which has been established via planning conditions at the Ingrow Mills Development near Ingrow Station on the KWVR. Bradford also lies close to the West Yorkshire Cycle Route (see www.cycletransport-westyorks.co.uk) and the Yorkshire Dales Cycleway, as well as the Lancashire Cycleway “over the border”!
Bridleways – Bradford has one of the best networks of bridleways and off-road routes in the world, let alone West Yorkshire. The Calder-Aire Link path is now open thanks to extensive work by Bradford Council and links the Pennine Bridleway to Bingley and Keighley, see Calder Aire Link documentPDF File. Further off-road routes are being developed by Bradford Council Rights of Way Section above Oxenhope. Also linked to this is the Rombalds Moor Forum which is a multi-user forum for users of the moor upon which cyclists are represented. Ilkley Moor groupPDF File is a link to details of the group. This online forum is a for cyclists regarding the above. Routes – have a look at www.bikely.com for the opportunity to plot your own routes or look at others via Google Earth interactive maps, not just in Bradford but across the world!
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Transport Infrastructure

Bradford’s future transport infrastructure plans are represented in the West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan 2006/7 to 2010/11. One of the key outcomes of the plan is to “provide better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists” and also to develop integrated transport systems that “improve access to jobs, education and other key services for everyone; reduce delays to the movement of people by reducing congestion; improve safety for all highway users; limit transport emissions of air pollutants, greenhouse gases and noise, and improve the condition of the transport infrastructure.” Some £7,515,000 is committed across West Yorkshire to cycling schemes during this period (Table 3.6 WYLTP) Bradford’s element of such a strategy is based around two key major projects, namely the “Airedale Integrated Transport Scheme”, based upon the enactment of the Airedale Masterplan, and the “Bradford City Centre and West Bradford Integrated Transport Scheme”. Both have yet to be finally costed but represent multi-million investment in transport infrastructure. In addition, there are several infrastructure measures directly promoting cycling that have committed expenditure (Tables 3.7 and 3.8, WYLTP):

  • National Cycle Network, Spen Valley to Bradford: £200,000
  • NCN Bradford to Shipley: £300,000
  • Cycling facilities at A6177 Queens Rd/Bolton Rd Jcn: proportion of £200,000
  • A6177 Little Horton Lane: proportion of £1,200,000
  • A658 Harrogate Rd: proportion of £1,280,000
  • Airedale Hospital: proportion of £250,000
  • Keighley Town Centre (this is already incorporating the sportKeighley “Keighley Integrated” proposals, highlighted in the Sport England “Active Design” guidance document): proportion of £250,000
  • Shipley Area Traffic Management: proportion of £300,000
  • Great Northern Railway Trail: £735,000

Many of these are capital projects, all of which are aimed at improving basic provision for all cyclists in the district, and each includes a significant proportion of revenue costs including officer time, consultation, advertisement and promotion. In addition Bradford Council employs cycling officers within the transport planning team who work with other key partners on, among other things, the promotion of cycling infrastructure via planning gain (eg, S.106 Agreements).
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c) Understanding by Motorists

Contrary to popular belief, most cyclists are motorists as well and thus the common notion of “us against them” is really a fallacy. It also means that most cyclists pay road tax, giving lie to an oft-quoted complaint from motorists (today’s young cyclists will be also paying tax for the rest of their working lives!). By and large, the sharing of the public highway requires tolerance and co-operation from all sides rather than aggression and constant reference to “rights”. There are bad cyclists and bad motorists and it will ever be so, but, as is evident in Holland and Germany and many other countries, it is perfectly possible for the vast majority of road users to get on just fine. There is no doubt that it can be frustrating for motorists who find their progress temporarily slowed by cyclists. The same applies to motorists who wish to travel faster than the car, bus or lorry in front. Cyclists are allowed to ride two abreast, although if consideration is shown they will revert to single file on busy or narrow roads. If you think about it, two abreast is only taking up the same road-space as someone driving a car as a single occupant! Big groups of cyclists moving fast can be awkward but just try to reflect that there may well be potential Olympians and Tour de France riders tucked in there, and that if riders “lose the wheel” in front they almost certainly won’t catch up again! Riders don’t ride in the gutter for a number of reasons. Gutters collect grit, glass, and general rubbish that regularly cause punctures (there is more glass on some of Keighley’s roads than in some high rise buildings!!). Storm grids are frequently in deep depressions that can buckle bicycle wheels at speed and throw riders off with disastrous results. The same goes for potholes and shoddy road repairs – riders will move in and out to avoid damage, injury or death from these all too common features. In the wet, even manhole covers, especially on bends, not to mention copious amounts of diesel, are equally hazardous. Ironically, road safety measures can often add to hazards; central islands and pedestrian refuges that narrow the carriageway mean that there is less room yet cars and lorries often “squeeze through” past bikes – please don’t! Road positioning, especially at junctions, is vital. Please try not to block cycle lanes – many cyclists will be trying to keep some momentum going. Picking up speed once you’ve lost it on the bike doesn’t simply involve pressing your right foot down a bit, especially if the gradient starts to rise! Also, bikes can squeeze through gaps in traffic queues so please try to leave some. Motorists commonly underestimate the speed of some bikes. It is quite possible (and legal) for a road cyclists to be approaching at 40mph-plus down a hill and over 20mph on the flat. Cycle brakes are not servo-assisted and bikes and riders come off second best to car wings! If in doubt, please don’t pull out! On the subject of bike brakes, these are operated by both hands and need to be applied in appropriate proportions, front and back. It is therefore difficult to brake effectively, avoid potholes/broken glass, check traffic and pedestrians and signal at the same time!! Finally, some people find it amusing to shout at, throw things at or even hit cyclists as they pass by in vehicles. You don’t need a degree in rocket science to see how dangerous this is; the latter is illegal (it’s assault) and people have been tracked down and prosecuted for it. Patience, tolerance and goodwill on all sides, as ever, helps enormously!
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Environmental Initiatives

Bradford University is in receipt of some £3m from HEFCE over the next 5 years for its “Ecoversity” project to promote a sustainable campus. A significant amount of matched and associate funding from the University and from the adjacent Bradford College has also been committed. A significant amount of work is being done around integrated transport, of which cycling forms a significant part. There are regular (monthly) Transport Strategy meetings including representatives from all departments of the University and external consultees. Bradford Council has recently launched its “Eco-City” project which aims to create a sustainable city over the next 5 years and beyond. A full time officer and support staff plus promotional material has been devoted to this programme, within which increased use of cycling as a transport and a leisure option is actively promoted.
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Health Promotion

The Bradford Obesity Project and associated health initiatives across the district are using cycling as a key element of the promotion of healthy lifestyles. Bradford & Airedale Teaching PCT and the local Healthy Living Networks are dedicating staff time, resources and financial support to clubs, events, programmes and promotion.
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Cycling Event Promotion

There are an increasing number of cycling events and promotions that are being supported by a multi-partnership approach. Notable amongst these has been the support of Bradford Council for the Tour of Britain Road Race in the past two years, in 2006 as a start location at Centenary Square and in 2007 as a stage finish at the award-winning Lister Park. The sportKeighley “Race the Train” event is now in its fifth year as part of the Keighley Festival and numbers continue to grow. Sustrans and partners (via a network of voluntary rangers) promote cycling rides and days out, and Manorlands and others hold regular charity road and mountain bike rides across the district, including the Bronte BIGK Mountain Bike Challenge in September. Bradford Disability Sport and Leisure are currently in the fourth year of the “Bradford to Hamm” Charity cycle ride which involves a high profile for cycling in Bradford and the promotion of links with Bradford’s Twin Town of Hamm. This involves a mixture of experienced riders and novices, with voluntary coaching and leadership designed to enable all participants to complete the distance (c. 300 miles) and raise money for charity. Cyclosportives have exploded in popularity in recent years, offering the opportunity to cover challenging courses in a semi-competitive and/or self-challenging manner. Local cycling legends Keith Lambert and Sid Barras are closely involved with the Etape du Dales event in May every year www.etapedudales.co.uk, which follows a tough 110 mile course from Grassington. This is in aid of the Dave Rayner Fund (www.daveraynerfund.com), a fund set up after the untimely death of local cyclist Dave Rayner to help develop local young cycling talent. There is also a high profile annual dinner to which great names from the Tour de France and the cycling world are always attracted. The White Rose Challenge (www.whiterosechallenge.co.uk) starts this year from Ilkley at the end of June (the morning after this year’s sportKeighley Annual Dinner!), and the popular and equally tough Pendle Pedal (www.pendlebikefest.com) sets off from Colne in early August. There are also off-road challenges galore in the area. The Mary Townley Loop of the Pennine Bridleway offers a tough 47-mile off-road challenge; this year the event is due to take place on Sunday 13th September. (www.idonohoe.com/mountian_bike9.htm) There are also many events and challenges in the adjacent Yorkshire Dales, including a brand new mountain biking centre near Reeth, as well of loads of places just to ride! (see www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/cycling_in_the_dales and www.mtbdales.com)
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Competition Promotion

The district of Bradford plays host to a wide variety of competitions in all forms of cycling. Bradford BMX bandits hold regular competitions at their facility in Peel Park. Silsden Nab and Shipley Glen regularly play host to national and international cycle trials events. St Ives at Bingley plays host to regular mountain biking events and there are many famous road-based circuits in the district, notably at the Flappitt near Haworth, and there is considerable investment in cycling track and infrastructure at Richard Dunn Leisure Centre at Odsal (representing significant support from British Cycling). Cyclocross takes place at a number of venues throughout the winter, including Oakbank School in Keighley, where there is also a hill climb associated with the Bradford Schools Cycling Association. Regular time trials and hill climb events take place in the district and there is also competition at schools level. The Mudman duathlon takes place from Haworth and Ilkley has a successful triathlon. Most of these events are promoted via clubs and through volunteers and represent considerable investment of time, resources and funding.
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Club/Coaching Development

As mentioned above, there are a number of traditional and newly-established clubs in the Bradford district, most of which provide a mixture of activity, advice, competition and training. There are three British Cycling “Go-Ride” clubs, one at East Bradford CC, based at Richard Dunn Leisure Centre at Odsal and the Keighley “Just Ride” cycle club based at Worth Valley School in Keighley. Both cater extensively for junior as well as senior riders. Training and coaching takes place mainly on Saturday mornings. The third, Bradford Bandits BMX Club based at Peel Park, also caters extensively for juniors. There are also a number of traditional road clubs across the district, some of these based around cycling shop teams, from which large numbers of rides go out mainly at weekends (see attached Bradford cycling activity sheet). British Cycling has a development squad scheme in Bradford with local cyclists accessing the Olympic Development squads, and British Cycling coaches deliver road based and cyclo-cross-based training throughout the year. There are also cycling focused Community Sports Coaches in the Bradford district and there is also delivery of cycling activities via Bradford Council’s Outdoor Activities section and via the Crank-It-Up organisation. There are a number of private cycling coaches based in the district. Coaching, club administration and development is mainly done on a voluntary basis. There is also a largely “hidden” source of cycling activity via private and public gyms and health clubs, where cycling machines, turbo-trainers and the like represent winter training facilities as well as formal classes for spinning and aerobic activity.
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If you are aware of any cycling updates, please contact us