Author: Neville Andrews

In This Edition

Lou Galloway left WMDC at the end of May and her replacement has now been found.  Nat Robinson has been appointed as the new Active Living Programme Lead and is due to start with Wakefield Council on 29 September.   Until Nat is in post, our main point of contact for matters relating to the relationship between WDCF and the Council is Alastair Wood.  We look forward to working productively with Nat and hope her’s is a long-term appointment.

We have a new committee member.  Angie Boyd, who many of you will have seen at our Holiday Wednesdays over the years, has taken on David Keighley’s role as Events Manager and can now be contacted on events@cycling-wakefield.org.uk.  Like the rest of the committee, she will also receive all the info@cycling-wakefield.org.uk emails.

We’ve also got a new ride leader, Gary Miller, who has kindly produced both an article identifying himself and a second reintroducing his father Dusty.

Last, but not least, our updated map of the Wonders of Wakefield Cycle Route was produced in time for our AGM in July. More details appear in the article about the WoW below.

Word is getting out about the reinstated rides from Pugneys and the numbers attending are going up month by month. 

We now have two bikes there to borrow for rides so if:
a) you want to try an easy ride from Pugneys but haven’t got the confidence or energy to cycle there and complete a ride or
b) you want to see what sort of bike is suitable before committing yourself to buying one or
c) you want to take your visiting cycling grandson, grandmother and/or aunt out into the Yorkshire countryside and they haven’t brought their bike, you can now borrow one of ours. Just email rides@cycling-wakefield.org.uk before the ride and turn up 15 minutes early so the bike and helmet can be adjusted to fit. There is no charge either for the ride or the bike but parking at Pugneys is not free.

Our bike doctors have been turning up 30 minutes before the ride is due to start and putting their tools and training to good use. Here you can see them ensuring a non-cyclist and their shopping can safely remain mobile.

They can also security mark your bike, which can deter thieves or, if this doesn’t work, enable the police to return the bike to you when it is found.

Coming soon to a library near you.

After a great deal of hard work planning, negotiating, testing, clearing, mapping and drafting, remapping, redrafting, checking, rechecking, mock-ups and origami the updated map of the iconic Wonders of Wakefield (WoW) cycle route has now been produced.

First recipients of the new map were the lucky few who attended our AGM at St Giles Church Pontefract on the 30^th July 2026, followed by those who rode the route on the 2^nd August WoW. First timers who had booked ahead were also given a free WoW t-shirt.  You can see how thrilled they were from the photo. 

Copies of the map are being distributed, often by cycle courier, around local libraries, doctor’s surgeries, cafes, cycle shops etc and the WoW maps on the information boards at Anglers and other points along the route are being replaced with the new version.

Much of the WoW is through woods and along tree lined old railway lines, so it’s cooler in hot sun and somewhat sheltered in the rain. You could join us on our next guided WoW from The Hepworth Wakefield at 10 am on Sunday 6^th September or follow the map and try it with friends.

Local Labour councillor Mohammed Ayub (Yubi to his friends) is a keen cyclist and a supporter of WDCF.  He would like to see the WoW open to all cyclists, whether a standard two-wheeler, tandem, recumbent or tricycle and to wheelchair users too, an aim we support.

Holiday Wednesdays this year have produced some unusual challenges right from the start.  It began when a large branch fell from an oak tree near where we normally site our gazebo, the administration centre for our rides.  The tree and branch were soon cordoned off, however, and we set up on the opposite side of the grassy area in front of the Great Hall.  This provided some shade and a welcome breeze but meant volunteers had a longer journey to bring the bunting, bikes and other paraphernalia to set up the course. We soon had a trail of interested children, queuing up to start their ride, however.

The National Trust soon set to work clearing the debris and making the rest of the damaged oak safe.  You can get some idea of the size of the task by checking the size of the diminutive figure desperately lopping off branches whilst dangling from a rope.

This did mean that the following week we were able to revert to our usual Holiday Wednesday site near our equipment store, the pizza van and portaloos.

Apart from our skills course, we offer people the opportunity to try out different cycles, ranging from recumbent tricycles provided by Ian Watson to penny farthings. This meant that we had to explain what a penny farthing, a penny and a farthing all are, as well as how to get and stay on it. The young lad shown clearly had it mastered.

Nostell NT then transformed into ‘Costa Del Nostell by the addition of a very large sandpit.  Our course had to be curtailed to take account of this intrusion into ‘our’ space.  Luckily, a collection of small children turned up who didn’t need a lot of room.

Nostell’s lush parkland had transformed in the heat to a crunchy tract of prickly yellow stubble. With temperatures in the 30s forecast for our 12^th August event, we shortened the circuit by taking out the requirement to put the bike down and run for sections of the route.  A large, shady umbrella was found for the volunteer timing the rides and we tried to keep people out of the sun as much as possible.  By the 19^th August, temperatures were much cooler and more comfortable and nobody begrudged the short intermittent showers which had started earlier in the week.

It was nice to see volunteers who regularly turn up for holiday Wednesdays and families coming back more than once, possibly with a different set of children each time. Childminders came along with 6 or 8 children, which added to the pressure at times.  It was shocking how many parents denied being ‘responsible adults’ but as the kids were well behaved, I suspect they were joking. Like the constant calls of ‘she’s not pedalling at the back,’ such comments are sometimes best ignored.

Visitors to our penultimate ride had problems getting to Nostell as the road from Castleford to Featherstone was closed for part of the way, necessitating a detour via Pontefract.  The sandpit had gone so a longer route was devised and our rides started.  We then got a message that because the Water Authority cut off the water supply to Nostell, the house, cafes and toilets were closing.  Although NT staff went home at this point, we carried on, aided by our water bottles, homemade sandwiches and the portaloos.

The numbers attending that day were down but, as children were going round the course 3 or 4 times or wandering off for a walk and then coming back for another go, there was little respite for our volunteers.  One little chap George had problems with a balance bike so ran round the course instead.  He did get a certificate for completing the course- on foot, shaving 1 second off the time taken by his sister to cycle round it.

For our final day, the Met Office predicted a shower at midday and torrential rain at 3pm.  The skies were clear, however, and children staring turning up 30 minutes early, so a slightly more compact course was built, containing the full range of obstacles but less spread out in case a quick decamp was required.  The rain actually turned up 24 hours late, at precisely 12 o’clock on Thursday, but our precautions did make our final clear up easier.

The National Trust had largely put away their collection of summer games so we seemed to be the only show in town in the free-to-access area of Nostell NT.

After a busy start, things tailed off a bit so David K brought out the now traditional last day boxes of a cream tea early.  The scones, cream and jam attracted children like wasps, however, so things got a bit sticky at times.  The busy afternoon rides included both new people and those who’d been round in the morning and fancied improving their times after replenishing their energy with lunch.  When the event concluded, once again we were lucky to have a family of volunteers who not only picked up the cones but also assisted in riding our bikes back to the storage container.

Visitors to our stand that day included a woman who commented, ‘I brought the grandchildren here two years ago and hoped you’d be here again this year, as they had such a good time’, as well as former Forum members who popped in to see if there was anyone they knew there and just to say hello.

None of this would have been possible without our magnificent team of volunteers.  Some stalwarts turned up every week for the whole day each time, others called in on the way to or from work to help set up or take down the circuit and gazebo.  Many gave what time they could after taking into account holidays, work, hospital appointments, dentists or family commitments.  Every contribution, whether large or small, is valuable and valued. Thank you all.

In recent years, Wakefield District Council has asked WDCF to put on a big cycling event each year, so in August 2024 we presented The Big WoW (see our Summer 2024 and Autumn 2024 Newsletters) and the Women of Wakefield WoW in September 2025 (see summer 2025 Newsletter).  This year, sadly we weren’t involved in the organisation of the event but were invited to take part in a more inclusive Try Cycling Event at Thornes Park on the 27^th May 2026. 

Everybody’s Cycling organisation turned up with various adapted bikes to try out and Harry Wood set up a circuit for youngsters along the lines of our circuits at Holiday Wednesdays at Nostell NT.  We were asked to provide some bike doctors and teams to lead three free guided rides round the park, so we duly turned up with two bike doctors, each proposed ride staffed with a leader and back marker and our Chair to deal with passing potential cyclists, the relevant paperwork and to keep an eye on the tools and equipment.

The event was held next to the bright blue running track at Thornes Park, very close to the sports centre and car park.  Sadly, there was no publicity about the event on entering Thornes Park, at the car park or even at the sports centre.  Harry did manage to persuade some children in the play park to try out his trail but no-one turned up for any of the three Forum rides and the bike doctors were limited to removing pedals on small children’s bikes to convert them to balance bikes and then putting them back on for older children to use.  The Chair did manage to give away some maps and leaflets by visiting other stalls and no tools went missing. 

Having assembled all of the committee who weren’t already on holiday or at work, the opportunity was taken to bring forward the committee meeting due to take place the following morning.  It was held al fresco in the sunshine, saving heating, lighting and fuel and giving the committee an unexpected extra day to go cycling.

In June I received an email about a One Earth Festival at Wakefield Exchange planned for 4th July 2026. WDCF was down as a stall holder and we were asked:
a) How many tables and chairs we would require
b) Any additional equipment we were bringing so it could be taken into account in the floor plan
c) How much time we would require to set up ready for 10am opening.

I sent an appropriate reply confirming that Wakefield District Cycle Forum would be publicising the event on our Facebook page and attending with an information stand on the day. In due course we were asked to help publicise the event using their poster.

This mentioned a Cycle Repair Shop and we speculated who might have been asked to provide this service.

When the 4th July arrived, the weather was chilly and threatened rain. Neville and I arrived in good time to set up our stall and asked where we had been allocated space, to discover that WDCF’s ‘repair shop’ would be outside, near some food vendors’ stalls. In the absence of a gazebo or shelter of any other kind and without any tools, we demurred and space was found for an information stand near the door.

Anyone with children visiting our stand was given a rides programme and shown where details of Holiday Wednesdays featured. People were interested in our free guided rides across the region and the fact that we will often be able to lend bikes and helmets at most of the venues. The loud music rather inhibited conversation but there were plenty of gaps.

The puppetry told a cautionary story very ingeniously and effectively.  Wandering round the stalls in a quiet moment I was able to distribute our leaflets to stall holders and to collect a couple of wild flower seed bombs and to make a ‘solitary bee’ nest. All in all it was an interesting day.

You should be aware that WDCF is more than The WoW and Holiday Wednesdays or the events featured earlier in this newsletter. Not all of our rides appear on Facebook, however, so here are some new photos:

The first picture is from the start of our Queens Mill Easy ride and the next one, from our June Hemsworth ride. The latter is interesting in that the grass is dark green and riders are shown either wearing or putting on waterproofs. The forecast had been for a 0% chance of rain, which was 100% inaccurate but probably the last rain we were going to get for some weeks!

July’s photo is of a motley collection of cyclists on the Queen’s Mill ride wandering around the Green House café. The lady in the wheelchair wasn’t part of the group but we were asked if this was a U3A event. I assured the questioner that, despite the white hair and numerous electric assist cycles, it was an event open to people of any age.

The photo of most of the team on our Hemsworth ride in August shows Devon’s first ride as a back marker and the photographer’s half of a rather nice electric assist tandem.

It was great to see Warren ‘Dusty’ Miller at our Holiday Wednesday event at Nostell Priory on 19 August. Dusty, who’s now 83, was a regular ride leader in the early days of the cycle forum and still back-marking at Nostell and Anglers rides until 2020 when a health condition affecting his balance meant he was no longer able to ride his beloved bike.

Dusty always loved supporting Holiday Wednesdays and couldn’t resist giving it a go on the skills course on his mobility scooter!

Dusty commented that ‘it was great to catch up with old friends and fantastic to see lots of children queuing up for a go around the course. So good to see it’s still going strong’.

And keeping things in the family, we are pleased to welcome Dusty’s son Gary as our newest Ride Leader. Gary, who has been riding with the cycle forum for the past 20 years, has recently retired from full-time employment and will soon be available to support with ride leading and back marking on a regular basis.

 Hi everyone, I’m Gary Miller, a new ride leader with the Wakefield District Cycle Forum. Regular forum riders may well recognise me as I’ve been attending forum rides for many years. I’m the one who’s always bouncing around looking for things to jump over or pulling the odd cheeky wheelie!

I’ve been an avid mountain biker since 1992 and enjoy all aspects of our amazing sport. From down-hilling to cross-country, enduro riding and even a bit of trials, I’ve given everything a go over the years. I just love getting out there and enjoying the variety of terrain and trails that the Wakefield District and the north of England have to offer.

I recently got chance to train as a Mountain Bike Leader with Harry Wood from The Right Track Outdoors. Harry offers a wider variety of outdoor activities for groups as well as leadership training and I’ve just completed his 2-day Mountain Bike Instructors Award Scheme – Level 2 MTB Leader training. This was a fantastic learning opportunity for me and gave me the chance to take my existing riding experience and develop this into group ride leadership, trail guidance and rider skills coaching. I’m really excited to bring what I learned from Harry to the cycle forum and am looking forward to leading some of your local rides in the near future.

I recently attended a 3 day cycle maintenance course – MIAS Level 1/2/3, run by Harry Wood of ‘The Right Track Outdoors’ and hosted at J’s Cycles, Pugneys Country Park.

There were only 4 people on the course, me and three enthusiastic teenagers with an abundance of energy.  The workshop is still in the process of being set up but Harry had enough tools to enable everyone to carry out the tasks assigned.

Some people had brought their own bikes to work on but I was fortunate to have access to a couple of the Forum bikes which are stored there.

It’s been a while since my last technician’s course and I was pleased to be able to get some hands on experience as well as being able to fill gaps in my knowledge.  All my questions were answered by Harry and even sometimes by the other participants who seemed to know a lot about bikes, in particular how to go very fast along mountain trails without breaking any bones.  Long may they continue to do so.

The two tasks that I enjoyed most and that stick in my mind were servicing a bottom bracket and bleeding a rear brake.  The latter was slightly embarrassing as I had attached the fluid reservoir to the front brake lever while I was trying to bleed the back brake.  It even took Harry a couple of seconds to work out the problem!  The next photo shows Harry determined to seal a tubeless tyre with a slight dint in the rim.

For the technically minded, the list of topics covered, some in more detail than others, was: –

Day 1: Bike Parts identification, Adjusting Controls, Assessing a Bike, Gear Cables Replacement, Gear Adjustment, Indexing, Setting Limits, Front & Rear Derailleur Adjustment, Derailleur Hangar Alignment, Mechanical Brake Adjust & Pad Replace, Puncture Repair, Bike Setup, Torque.

Day 2: Hub Service, Headset Service, Pedal Replacement, Bottom Bracket Replacement, Wheel Truing, Cassette Replacement, Freehub Service, Chain Replacement.

Day 3: Fork Service, Shock Service, Brake Bleeds (Dot & Mineral), Tubeless Setup, Frame Bearings, Frame Alignment, Internal Cabling, Pre Delivery Inspection.

All in all, a very interesting and informative experience.

This year Malcolm and I have run a monthly Bike Doctor session at Pugneys to coincide with the Forum Easy ride on the 3^rd Sunday.  Unfortunately, Malcolm now has many more demands on his time and is no longer available for these sessions.  If there is anyone reading this who feels they could help out, please get in touch at:

bikes@cycling-wakefield.org.uk

I appreciate that quite a few of our Forum members will have the necessary technical skills but as we are dealing with bikes owned by the general public, I think you should also to be able to produce a recognised bike maintenance qualification.

Neville Andrews

In This Edition

Although our WoW and Wheel signs turn up all over the area and our rides leaflets should be available from all council libraries and are in many doctors’surgeries, not everyone knows how much Wakefield District Cycle Forum gets up to every year.

The Forum has a programme of 1 or more easy guided rides every week from March to December starting from one of seven different locations across WMDC, plus 4 steady rides a month and a guided WoW ride every first Sunday of the month. These start at 10am from, in rotation, either Nostell NT, The Hepworth Wakefield, Anglers Country Park or Pugneys Country Park. In addition, our bike doctors will be in attendance at Pugneys on the third Sunday of each month from 10am to 1pm.

In May, we celebrated spring with guided bluebell rides at Nostell NT and will be following this with a Try Cycling Event at Thornes Country Park on Wednesday 27th May 2026 from 10am to 3pm, when our Bike Doctors and an information stand will appear. For details, see later.

On Sunday 12th July, the Pontefract Liquorice Festival returns to town and we’ll be there to join in. Finally, we will be holding our annual ‘Holiday Wednesdays’ at Nostell on each Wednesday of the school summer holidays from 11am to 2pm, with a skills course for children, short guided rides around the park and a bike doctor on hand.We have a willing team of volunteers but more help would be welcome. If you would be interested in assisting us, do get in touch at info@cycling-wakefield.org.uk.

Our Annual Forum Festive meal took place at the Counting House in Swales Yard Pontefract, a charming medieval half-timbered and jettied building built in 1609. So far as I know, no-one fell down the twisting staircases or banged their heads on the low beams. The meal was delicious, with sufficient choices to suit a variety of palates, and the atmosphere convivial. Neville presented his now traditional quiz with a medley of cycling related ephemera going to the winning team.

The photo shows them slapping on their high vis armbands. Sharon, who now collates the rides figures for WMDC, used the information collected to reintroduce the practice of giving out commemorative certificates for the most rides led etc. The certificates were handed out by our chair Meg and accompanied by medals to treasure.

Photos show a brief extract from the proceedings and a group of happy medallists.

In an early Russian invasion, rhubarb travelled from Siberia to the more hospitable cold damp area now part of West Yorkshire and known as …(pause for a spooky drum roll) ‘The Rhubarb Triangle’. These days the triangle is a 9-square-mile (23 km2) area between Wakefield, Morley, and Rothwell, and includes the villages of Carlton, East Ardsley, Kirkhamgate, Lofthouse and Stanley. Here both field and forced rhubarb is produced. Since around 2010 WMDC has held an annual rhubarb festival each February to celebrate this local delicacy and the products made from it, ranging from pies, crumbles, jams, chocolates and chutneys to liqueurs, spirits and beer, are on sale. Ruby Rhubarb was there but this year we’ve been forced to include a somewhat taller and slimmer friend. The Forum was there to offer a less fattening alternative to these delicacies and a friendlier way to get around. Our Facebook entries for the event show more of the team at different times over the three days.

The WDCF volunteers I’ve counted included Sandy, David K, Elaine, Lisa, Richard A, Meg and Neville so this is clearly a popular event.

Saturday was hot and sunny, Sunday was cold and very wet so we had little idea how our Nostell bluebell rides on the Monday 4th May would fare. The morning started chilly and overcast so Neville and I loaded up the tandem with full waterproofs and extra layers. We put up a small table for our information stand under a horse chestnut tree near the entry to the courtyard, so we could take shelter easily if the heavens opened. In the event, the only showers were of petals from the chestnut candles.

Despite the overcast weather, publicity for the Bluebell rides at Nostell NT meant there were sufficient interested riders for each of our three rides meandering through the bluebells, ably led by Andy and David K. Meanwhile, Graham and Steve serviced the forum bikes and those of some passing visitors and Neville and I gave out publicity about the Forum, the WoW, the Wheel, Holiday Wednesdays and where to find the loos and the adventure playground at Nostell. Certificates of achievement were presented to those who completed the ride and wished to mark the occasion, as you’ll see from the photo below.

We are planning to issue a new map of our iconic circular cycle route around and named after the Wonders of Wakefield. Sadly, whenever I think it’s complete, David Keighley and his co-conspirators at WDCF improve it yet again! There is now a circuitous route through the estate to avoid the busy main road at Crofton and, while Sandal Castle can still be viewed from Pugneys, the WoW now climbs to include this wonder.
The WoW is definitely a bit longer but, as the mileage travelled varies between Strava on the back of our tandem, Garmin in the middle and the Bosch E Flow on the front by anything up to half a mile (and the bike’s not that long!), I wouldn’t like to put a figure on its new length myself.
With the plethora of daisies looking like snow at the field edges, hoards (or should that be herds?) of cowslips, bevies of bluebells and the May blossoms festooning the hedges, it’s a lovely time of year to ride it yourself and find out. The map may not be ready but the new route signs are all up to welcome and guide you.

Since March 2026 we’ve reinstated our easy rides from Pugneys, initially braving the chilly spring weather and later enjoying the cherry blossom.

We’ve also introduced Bike Doctor sessions starting at 10am on the morning of each ride so if anyone needs some last-minute adjustments or suffers a puncture on the way, these can be dealt with before the ride starts. Malcolm and Neville remain on hand until 1pm so can assist passing cyclists or those who would be cyclists if they could get their brakes to work, the gears fixed or the saddle adjusted to a comfortable height.

At the same time, we’ve watched progress on a new active travel hub to be known simply as J’s. This will cater for cyclists, runners and walkers, selling cycles and appropriate clothing as well as hiring bikes out. If what your bike needs to get it back on the road is beyond the tools or parts our bike doctors have available or you’ve just missed them and don’t want to wait until next time to get back on the road, J’s will probably have the parts, tools and mechanics required to fix it, a new bike to replace it or one to hire in the meantime!

On the basis that in hot weather cycling can make you thirsty and there are plenty of bikes and cyclists on the label, your editor thought you might like to see a couple of bottles, sadly now empty, of Pedal Pusher golden ale. We purchased them from the beer shop at Queen’s Mill Castleford which is close to both our cycle storage unit and the starting point for our Castleford rides. Other beers, a tea room and stone ground flour are also available from Queen’s Mill.

On Wednesday 27th May, between 10:00am and 3:00pm, WDCF will be attending a Try Cycling Day at Thornes Park Stadium. The aim of the day is to provide families, young people and people with disabilities the opportunity to try cycling in a supportive, inclusive environment.

The day will showcase what is possible and what is available across the Wakefield District.

The Forum will be providing Bike Doctor sessions and leading short rides around the park as well as manning an information stand. Others will be bringing inclusive bikes and adult/family bikes for visitors to try and a pedal-powered music bike. Harry Wood will be there too with a bike trail for youngsters.

In This Edition

The positive introduction to the last newsletter may have been somewhat premature.  We came out of Lockdown 2 into Tier 3 restrictions, high winds, rain and a smattering of snow and then Lockdown 3.  The Forum’s rides to the end of the year, including our two Christmas rides, were cancelled. Our Guided Rides and Events 2020 leaflets have been shredded but you can still get out on your bike for exercise and essential shopping.  Two loaves of bread or a packet of cereal will fit in a pannier but it will take more than one trip to stock up your wine cellar. We were relieved to find that brake disk pads count as essentials.

We have agreed with Wakefield MDC to lead a minimum of 50 guided rides in 2021 and four bike doctor sessions.

Details of all rides and bike doctor sessions will appear on our Facebook page. In all cases, booking is essential on info@cycling-wakefield.org.uk.  If a ride looks particularly popular, we may be able to call on additional ride leaders to enable a second ride to set off from the same point at an appropriately socially distanced interval if that is what 2021’s rides require. 

When I first saw this photo, I thought it was a decorated mantelpiece.  The accompanying snap revealed it was Libby and Richard Hall’s cycle helmets. 

To complete the gallery of Wakefield District Cycle Forum’s best Christmas photos of 2020, here is a photo of Joan Sherriff Alexander’s festive attempt to convert her Circe to a cargo bike.  I suspect the proximity of the pine needles would make the rear seat unpopular, which perhaps explains why there are no decorated riders in view.

Our last newsletter reported that WDCF has joined with Agbrigg and Belle Vue Community Association to press for the provision of a shared use footway/cycleway from Oakenshaw Lane Walton to Montague Street Agbrigg along a section of the disused Barnsley canal.  An open letter in the following terms has been sent to the Chief Executive and Council leader:

‘Agbrigg and Belle Vue Community Association (ABVCA) and Wakefield District Cycle Forum (WDCF) are collaborating on a project to develop a foot/cycle path with an all-weather surface to link Montague Street in Agbrigg with the entrance to Walton Colliery Nature Park at Oakenshaw Lane. The project was developed with the support of Countryside and Highways Departments of Wakefield Council. Funding has been secured for the construction of the path and WDCF is committed to investigating further funding opportunities if necessary.

The Agbrigg and Belle Vue area is recognised as having significant indicators of multiple deprivation, including long-standing health inequalities. The area is likely to be affected by Covid more than most according to studies on the impact of the disease.

 The recent development of Neil Fox Way has increased the use of Agbrigg Road as a ‘cut through’ from more affluent areas increasing danger from traffic and pollution. Whilst there is a reasonable provision of sports and health facilities in the area, cost is a significant barrier to many of the most vulnerable residents.

The proposed path is an important part of a sustainable, free -to- access strategy to improve both physical and mental health of all the communities that live in the area. If the current path is improved, there are plans to develop the community centre in Montague Street as a fitness/cycle hub to provide opportunities to introduce new walkers/cyclists to the network of paths within and beyond Walton Colliery Nature Park.

The route would provide a much-needed safe corridor to access the nearby countryside, with obvious leisure opportunities for the people of Agbrigg and Belle Vue but also encourages zero-carbon travel into Wakefield for work and shopping from other areas such as Walton and Crofton.

Unfortunately, the Highways Department has now withdrawn their support for the project after some safety and environmental issues were raised in a safety audit. ABVCA and WDCF have questioned the issues raised but Highways have not explained why higher standards are being imposed on this path compared with many similar paths in the district nor have they addressed how any problems can be positively addressed.

Highways have agreed that ‘there is merit in improving this link’. Rather than allow the issues on safety and environment to halt the project we call on Wakefield Council to use their expertise to develop ways to overcome these issues and take the project forward.’

Open Country, a Yorkshire disability charity, is fully supportive, believing that the proposed new path would improve access for all, and has signed a copy of the letter.  We have support too from Mandy Loach of the Trans Pennine Trail, John Trickett MP and Bridget Gill of Spectrum.  Local resident Kamran Akram said, ‘to have the path improved would mean that my little lad, and all the other kids in the area, would have a safe place to learn to ride his bike and it would make it so much easier for the people of Agbrigg to get to Walton Nature Reserve’ and another local resident, Chaudry Khan, commented, ‘I am a keen walker but stopped using this path because it was so churned up. The countryside is close to where I live if you get in a car, but that just creates more traffic. It makes sense to develop safe walkways; they are important for all aspects of health’

These maps illustrate the route of the proposed new path and how it would link into the existing network of traffic-free routes to the south and east.

Like the Trans Pennine Trail, problems for cyclists extend beyond the boundaries of Wakefield MDC.  Leeds Cycling Campaign has released a new film highlighting the need for urgent action to provide safe access for cyclists, runners and walkers to the Aire and Calder canal at Skelton Grange Road Bridge.

The canal tow-path forms part of the scenic Trans Pennine Trail and Sustrans’ National Cycle Network. The steep and often slippery steps at the Bridge make access to the tow-path very difficult for anyone with a bike and impossible for people in wheelchairs or with chronic health conditions. Many riders with e-bikes, families with buggies, mobility scooter users and others with disabilities are likewise prevented from using the Trail.

In 2006, a full fifteen years ago, a feasibility study undertaken by Leeds City Council recommended a new pedestrian and cycling bridge at Skelton Grange. Another option would involve rerouting the path through the Council owned Thwaites Mill museum. Leeds Cycling Campaign is working with Leeds City Council, Leeds Local Access Forum, Leeds Civic Trust, Sustrans, the Canals and Rivers Trust and the Friends of the Trans Pennine Trail to explore both these options.

Olympic star Alistair Brownlee MBE, lending support to campaign, said: “The Aire and Calder canal tow path has just been resurfaced and is a fantastic active travel corridor. It makes up part of the Trans Pennine Trail and the Sustrans’ National cycle network and is a great commuter route into the city centre. It is a quiet and traffic free path that winds its way through natural and green habitats even though the user is never far from habitation. Promoting and increasing its usage are fantastic causes. Unfortunately, at the moment, access to it is restricted to users who can make it down a steep and narrow flight of steps. The creation of a new bridge here would be a very positive step for all of the current users and more importantly open up the path to many more. We all know the importance of health and activity, especially in the current climate. This project would be of real benefit to all parts of the local community.”

Leeds Cycling Campaign’s film about the steps at Skelton Grange Road Bridge can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/-pLVQBRPFFo and their petition at:

https://www.change.org/p/leeds-city-council-secure-a-safe-and-accessible-crossing-for-ncn-route-67-and-the-tpt-at-skelton-grange-road

The first, and so far the last, ride of the year was the steady plus ride from Darrington on the 2^nd January.  A total of ten riders were split into two groups beforehand, starting at separate time to comply with the government restrictions then in place. Coffee stops at Womersley meant that the riders were caught in a snowstorm on their way back to Darrington, providing some useful experience with no adverse effects.  

We hope to restart rides towards the end of May. Please keep your eyes open on Facebook.

Although it has not been possible to lead any rides, the committee are still keeping active via Zoom.  In fact, we’ve probably had more meetings so far this year than we did in the whole of last year.

WDCF’s complaint about the installation of a kissing gate at Haw Park Wood (see photo) has now been referred to the Local Government Ombudsman.  We will keep you updated on the progress of the complaint.  If it is successful, it will serve as a useful precedent when opposing situations like the new kissing gates at Pontefract Park.

When the Agbrigg project has been approved and we can all get out, working parties will be needed to help clear vegetation in what is a pleasant countryside track beside the canal. If you would like to be involved in future working parties, which usually happen on Tuesday mornings, do email your details to info@cycling-wakefield.org.uk .  A van or a trailer would be very useful to move equipment, but we welcome all volunteers and will let you know in advance what equipment would be useful.

Like many organisations, we were not able to hold our AGM last year due to the Covid 19 restrictions. This year, we provisionally planned to hold the AGM in your dining room, study, spare bedroom or wherever else you keep your laptop, tablet or phone, using the wonders of technology and Zoom.

When the proposed relaxation of restrictions was announced, we considered holding the meeting outdoors in May but the limitations on the size of the meeting to 30 and the fact that April showers can extend well beyond the end of that month caused another rethink.

The current proposal is that, subject to any further restrictions, the AGM will be held in July.  Details will be emailed to members, appear on Facebook and may even be in the next newsletter.

The steady stream of donations to our Go Fund Me page towards WDCF’s plan to provide a bench as a memorial to the late John Harvey, a keen and enthusiastic member of the forum, has now slowed to a trickle, although we are only partway to our target.

This is the type of bench proposed – something cheerful, colourful, made of iron, robust, serviceable and eminently useful – like the man himself.

This is a photograph of the site on which we would like to site the bench.

If you wish to make a contribution towards the cost, rather than just ‘liking’ the idea of it, please go to John Harvey Fund

In This Edition

The positive introduction to the last newsletter may have been somewhat premature.  We have come out of Lockdown 2 into Tier 3 restrictions, high winds, rain and now a smattering of snow.  The Forum’s rides to the end of the year, including our two Christmas rides, have been cancelled. Our Guided Rides and Events 2020 leaflets have been shredded but you can still get out on your bike for exercise and essential shopping.  Two loaves of bread or a packet of cereal will fit in a pannier but it will take more than one trip to stock up your wine cellar.

We have agreed with Wakefield MDC to lead a minimum of 50 guided rides in 2021 and four bike doctor sessions.

Details of all rides and bike doctor sessions will appear on our Facebook page. In all cases, booking is essential on info@cycling-wakefield.org.uk.  If a ride looks particularly popular, we may be able to call on additional ride leaders to enable a second ride to set off from the same point at an appropriately socially distanced interval if that is what next year’s rides require. 

As this year’s Christmas rides have had to be cancelled, why not enter into the Christmas spirit nevertheless, by dressing up in a festive manner, decorating you bike and just going out for a ride.  To inspire you, here is a photo from last year’s outing at Nostell, with the Christmas tree decorated by WDCF in the middle.

You could even choose to go out when the weather is good.  Not like this intrepid bunch in 2019, who braved rain, sleet and high winds just to bring some Christmas cheer to Castleford.  By the end of the ride, it was red noses all round, not just on Rudolph.

We did manage to fit in some rides before the shutters came down again. The government restrictions meant that the easy ride to Fairburn on the 10^th October was split into two groups.  This one on the right doesn’t have a tandem in it!  It was a lovely crisp morning with beautiful autumn colours and the rain didn’t start until after we got back to Castleford.

The second team diverted on their return journey for a brief fungus foray.  Only photos were taken so all, including the toadstools, survived intact.  Award yourself five points if you can identify the mycologist. Their name will be revealed in the next edition if enough people ask for it!

25 Miles for 70 Years

Barbara Phipps posted a request for sponsorship on WDCF’s Facebook page.  To celebrate her 70^th birthday, she was proposing to undertake a 25 mile cycle ride in aid of Children in Need, aiming to raise £500. 

The route was based on the Wonders of Wakefield circuit, with some additions/ diversions to suit the proposed mileage and to meet her support party/gang /family.

Our offer of company was accepted and the tandeming twosome duly turned up to meet Barbara at the New Inn in Walton on the 30^th October in good time for a 9 am start.

It was showery at times, with sunny intervals and small autumn gales.  Barbara’s Children in Need t-shirt mean we got smiles and cheerful waves along the route.  We encountered a cycle group from outside the area in the woods.  We explained our motivation for what was by then a muddy ride and, duly impressed, they kindly donated £20 from what was probably their beer money towards the cause.

After a photo stop at Nostell, we got back to the New Inn marginally later than planned, to learn that Barbara had reached her target.  It was a satisfying day all round.

Working Party and other efforts

Correspondence continues with WMDC concerning the Haw Park Wood access barriers, or rather the barriers to access. The council seems more concerned about the need to keep out troublesome, if rarely seen, motorcyclists than permitting easy access for cyclists on recumbent cycles, tandems, those with children on tagalongs, on tricycles or wheelchair users.  Writing only from a personal point of view, I would suspect that the more users of this type there are on cycle paths, the less attractive they become to budding scrambles riders.

WDCF had joined with Agbrigg and Bellevue Community Association to press for the provision of a shared use footway/cycleway from Oakenshaw Lane Walton to Montague Street Agbrigg along a section of the disused Barnsley canal.   The route is in a very strategically important area for Agbrigg in the development of cycling, with the flood alleviation scheme at the top of Montague Street offering a great beginners circuit.  The Community Centre nearby is a good spot to store bikes and host training sessions.  The proposed route is an area that needs safer cycling as the Neil Fox Way development has turned it into even more of a traffic cut-through.

A safety audit carried out by Leeds City Council Development Department raised some concerns which we believe we have been able to answer.  If some of the objections made were accepted, many of the cycle routes in the centre of Leeds and York would be threatened.

The pictures illustrate the before and after effects of some pruning and clearance by a WDCF working party, socially distanced at all times. If you would like to be involved in future working parties, which usually happen on Tuesday mornings, do email your details to info@cycling-wakefield.org.uk .  A man with a van or a woman with a trailer would be very useful, but we welcome all volunteers.

John Harvey

WDCF would like to provide a bench as a memorial to John Harvey, a very popular and likeable man and a keen and enthusiastic member of the forum, who died too soon on the 23^rd October 2017.

John was a gentleman: polite, honest, reliable, hard-working and always willing to help. He joined the forum in April 2012 and over the next five and a half years completed nearly 350 rides with us.  He didn’t just ride, however. John’s enthusiasm, willingness, persistence and hard work were unprecedented and his dedication to Wakefield District Cycle Forum was without equal. Ride leader, workday manager, logistics manager for our village events and odd-job-man, he never refused to help with any task the forum asked of him. And all done with a smile and often a wee bit of mischief.

Organisations like the Wakefield District Cycle Forum are built on individuals who give of their time and talents freely and unconditionally and we are lucky to have so many in our midst. John was a shining example: assisting or leading rides, bicycle repair man, encouraging new members, organising and leading workdays, transport manager- there weren’t many areas where he wasn’t involved. He loved helping people and all was done with a smile in that quietly calm and endearing manner.

There is not a corner of WDCF activity that John did not influence, but his contribution to our workgroup activities has proved to be irreplaceable.  When he died, cycling around our area, every filled-in pothole, every signpost, every newly surfaced stretch of cycle path and every reinforced canal towpath had his name written on it.  We try to carry on the work of improving and repairing the cycle infrastructure through our workgroup but, without John’s storage, transport, technical expertise, direction and organisation, it has proved a struggle.

The proposed bench would be more comfortable than that shown alongside, supporting John, our present chairman David Leigh, who met John on his first ride with us and spoke movingly at his funeral, and member Warren Miller.  We are hoping to site it next to the river Calder, in a spot easily accessible by bike, where riders can enjoy a flask of coffee or a swig from their water bottle and a few moments of quiet contemplation, or swap stories of past adventures. 

If you would like to make a contribution towards the cost of the memorial bench- perhaps you weren’t able to send flowers to the funeral-then we are proposing to open a Go Fund Me page for the purpose.  The address will appear on our Facebook page and will be emailed to members.

The first ride of 2021 will be a Steady Plus road ride from Darrington, starting at the Darrington Hotel car park at 10 am on Saturday 2^nd January.  Alastair Wilson will be leading the ride, with David Leigh backmarking. 

This is not a ride for novices and places will be very limited in light of Covid19 restrictions.  For those who do book via info@cycling-wakefield.org.uk, it will be an ideal opportunity to blow away the cobwebs and work off some of the Christmas calories