For the past week I’ve not been cycling to work, I’ve been using the tram. I cycled in on Monday but the cycle path alongside the dual carriageway was icy so I used the road. It wasn’t much fun. Many cycle paths in Sheffield are still not cleared/gritted, even the ones adjacent to trunk roads. The cycle path is still covered in ice.
How about the rest of the country? Here are some perspectives from Twitter.
We’re at the Sheffield on the Move forum – having a go at poor snow clearance on footpaths & cycleways. #sotm
— cycleSheffield (@cycleSheffield) January 24, 2013
Argh! Icy cycle paths, hasn’t snowed in Sheffield for ages! Look at the alternative, This is why I’ve not been cycling twitter.com/Mattturner86/s…
— Matt Turner (@Mattturner86) January 25, 2013
The scene on Upper Hanover Way, Sheffield tonight. Roadway nice & clear:peds & cyclists sliding about. twitter.com/cycleSheffield…
— cycleSheffield (@cycleSheffield) January 22, 2013
#Cambridge – cycle paths left unusable – ungritted in spite of the snow & ice.What’s it like where you are?… fb.me/1qA5toQaQ
— CambridgeRaincoatCo (@Cantala59) January 22, 2013
Hey @mayoroflondon, how bout you grit this city’s ice-encased cycle paths like they do in The Netherlands:bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/das…
— @carrozo (@carrozo) January 22, 2013
Decided at last minute not to cycle to work due to the snow/ice. Got to desk at roughly usual time which I wasn’t expecting…
— Kay McMahon (@kaybar007) January 21, 2013
Utrecht; streets (red) and (streets with) separated cycle tracks (green) which are cleared of snow&ice. Via @fietsriatwitter.com/FietsRia/statu…
— Mark Wagenbuur (@BicycleDutch) January 21, 2013
The Antwerp cycle tracks are also clear of snow and ice. Looks just like a Dutch one, only this one is bi-directional. twitter.com/BicycleDutch/s…
— Mark Wagenbuur (@BicycleDutch) January 18, 2013
@leedscyclists @leedscc @tomriordan The cycle lane behind the bus stop on Roundhay Road is under 4″ of snow/ice, 4 days after it last snowed
— Stuart Clarke (@stuartclarkeuk) January 24, 2013
@mayoroflondon why is Bow roundabout cycle lane still got snow and ice on it ? heading towards stratford from bow stratford side. sort it!
— Drysuitdiversteve (@Drysuitdiver) January 24, 2013
It would be nice if the few cycle paths we have were cleared of snow/ice like the roads have been. #getbritaincycling
— Gore (@sas_90) January 23, 2013
#Cycle 2work – don’t understand why all the out of town cycle paths haven’t been gritted! Most of the snow left is compact ice segments!
— Joe Burton (@joe__burton) January 23, 2013
@brightonhovecc any hope of getting the snow/ice cleared from the cycle lanes in moulsecomb/campus? Forcing cyclists to go near/into traffic
— Ross Cloney (@rosscloney) January 23, 2013
Bit tricky cycling in the snow this morning cycle paths were like an ice rink. Take care people
— Coach Gordon (@GordonGManning) January 23, 2013
@asecretcyclist Agreed, I’ve not cycled in this morning, cant be bothere with the Dual Carriageway, adjacent cycle path covered in snow/ice.
— Matt Turner (@Mattturner86) January 22, 2013
Common theme throughout the country is that whilst roads are gritted, cycle paths are not. Councils everywhere showing their true colours.
— Secret Cyclist (@ASecretCyclist) January 22, 2013
@burycouncil please grit the cycle paths.the one on pilsworth is unridable,i have to get to work.
— paul rowan (@paulr1970) January 24, 2013
#Cycle 2work – considering taking some grit salt with me on the commute and melting the compact ice sections! Grit spreader bike!
— Joe Burton (@joe__burton) January 24, 2013
Cambridge and York grit cycle paths, why not Oxford? 2/2 Anyone know? @paradiseoxford ?
— Howard Stanbury (@Howard_S) January 23, 2013
I’d be #cycling home but for the icy #cycle paths. Please grit ’em #York and #getbritaincycling!
— Rob Walker (@rjcwalker) January 23, 2013
@georgemonbiot On the +ve: this year, Edinburgh Council been getting lot of praise for its gritting of cycle paths. bit.ly/10RkFcV
— Graeme Harkness (@graeme_harkness) January 23, 2013
@pauline_goodlad They haven’t even bothered to grit the pavement/cycle paths on major routes, so it’ll be a while yet @wrexhamcbc @wrexham
— Dr C. (@ChesterCycling) January 23, 2013
@chestercycling it was done this afternoon so perhaps they listened to the moaning!
— Pauline Goodlad (@pauline_goodlad) January 23, 2013
@perfect_iwish Hi We grit over 50km of pavements/cycle paths You can see the roads pavements & cycle paths we grit at buzz.mw/-CU0_y
— ManCityCouncil (@ManCityCouncil) January 23, 2013
Cambridge, your cycle paths are great, but when you don’t grit them and the bikes take to the roads instead, the system falls to shit.
— Pete the driver. (@McLaren_Fan) January 22, 2013
Edinburgh Council praised for gritting and clearing cycle paths@spokeslothian @edinburgh_cc spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2013…
— tomallan (@tomallan) January 22, 2013
@georgefergusonx if all the cycling and walking commuters drove Bristol would be gridlocked.Please grit cycle paths and footpaths too.
— Steph Charnaud (@climbingsteph) January 22, 2013
@saffers_65000 No-one lives on the cycle path from Trumpington to Cambridge.Local gvt should grit paths like these. twitter.com/Cantala59/stat…
— CambridgeRaincoatCo (@Cantala59) January 22, 2013
Can the lovely people at @wodcnews please grit the mud lane cycle path in Cogges? Thanks 🙂 twitter.com/daddyofbob/sta…
— Richard MacKenzie (@daddyofbob) January 22, 2013
@lutoncouncil Would you mind doing the cycle paths near the airport? I’ve nearly come off my bike there and gone under speeding cars!
— Jon House (@J_S_House) January 22, 2013
@j_s_house Hi, unfortunately we don’t currently grit cycle paths. We have had other complaints about this so will bear in mind in future.
— Luton Council (@lutoncouncil) January 22, 2013
.@lb_southwark any chance you could grit the cycle paths ever? surrey canal path:- frozen, Union st:- ice rink, southwark bridge the same
— Gary Carter (@Messenger_face) January 22, 2013
@cardiffcouncil you are way behind other councils who grit cycle routes please update your policymanchester.gov.uk/directory/63/g…
— Jon Fox (@SuiGeneris68) January 21, 2013
@sinopticstudios RT @bendy14: @bournemouthbc Please could you grit the pavements and cycle lanes too? #treacherous
— jas0nbeats/JND (@jas0nbeats) January 21, 2013
.@cardiffcouncilThe cycle paths around the Magic Roundabout in Splott were lethal this morning. Grit would be lovely.@suigeneris68
— Gareth Price (@garprice) January 21, 2013
@camdencyclists could you ask Camden to grit their segregated cycle lanes? People obviously want to use themtwitter.com/jkblacker/stat…
— Josh Blacker (@jkblacker) January 21, 2013
Stupid driver who beeped and shouted at me on North Rd… @cardiffcouncil don’t grit cycle paths, so I had no choice than to use YOUR road!
— allie brock (@brocknroller) January 21, 2013
“Coventry does not grit any of the dedicated cycle paths nor does it grit shared footway/cycleways either” #cyclesafe bit.ly/WxAazK
— WhatDoTheyKnow (@WhatDoTheyKnow) January 21, 2013
Gunna be so late for work. Seriously, why havent the council put grit on the cycle track? Im going to die.
— la (@leelaglade) January 21, 2013
@bristolcouncil Any plans to grit the cycle path anytime soon? No? That’s okay, I’ll just teleport to work!
— Duncan Beedie (@DuncanDraws) January 20, 2013
@plymouthcc doesn’t grit cycle paths, forcing more people to drive just when it’d be good to get more people cycling. Go figure. #Plymouth
— William (@WilliamNB) January 19, 2013
@aseasyasriding ride in was fine, not sure I’m going to cycle home though as was already v slippy & of course no grit on most cycle lanes!
— manytypesoftea (@manytypesoftea) January 18, 2013
@beckix1991 Was the cycle lane covered in snow and ice? Round this way none were gritted. Many unfit for use even in summer.
— Secret Cyclist (@ASecretCyclist) January 25, 2013