£10,000 grants available to help improve facilities for cyclists in the Peak District

How many can recall the Peak Park Bike Buses that ran out from Manchester in the early 1990's, or the services which Mainline ran out from Sheffield around the Millennium, or the Stanedge summer service which carried cycles, and still (I believe) the buses that run out from Hillsborough to Rivelin and Bradfields/Strines and carry cycles. The Peak Park services, and the later Devon Bike buses are worth a comment. They used 2-door single deck buses, the former being specially adapted for carrying large parties in wheelchairs, but the latter came from an area where the high passenger flows dictated the use of 2 door buses, as in London. This prompts the suggestion that ex-London midibuses (9.6m darts and their equivalent) often on the market secondhand from London, offer the potential of a 16-20 seat rural bus, and space for 6-8 bikes at the back, or down one side (with the option of having the bike area 'convertible' with fold away seating). The Sheffield services used Social work buses - idle at the weekend

Many rural bus routes would get a great boost if opened up to cycle carriage. When West Coast Motors took on the contract for the Cloanaig to Lochgilphead service with the requirement (set by the Council as the client) to carry bikes, they were well surprised by the number of additional passengers gained.

Up in NE Scotland young BMX and MTB riders work together with the bus drivers and put up to 10 bikes in the underfloor hold of the coach-type vehicles used, and the Inverness-Cromarty bus has a regular number of commuters who cycle to the bus stops.

I've endured (rather than used) the full Trans-Peak route from Manchester to Derby, and outside the peak commuting times the potential to put a bikes in the tip up seat space is huge, even some of the regular passengers who get off at 'road-end' stops with a 1-2 mile hike to their village would use this.

It is also worth understanding the current way that many early morning and late evening bus services operate, with the bus operator having no local depot in the village, so a bus travels out - effectively with dead miles (no passengers) to start the service and comes back equally empty at night - I've watch the bus from Pitlochry to Perth doing just that when travelling on the A9 or the train on the parallel railway. Travelling out and back with such 'positioning' services can provide a full day of leisure cycling in the Peak District, without the hassle/danger of cycling out there on busy main roads.

I'm aware that TM travel operate suitable low floor buses (Solos) and Trent Barton's express services to Chesterfield use coaches (with luggage holds). Do let me get some feedback on this, such as rural routes where as few as 3 passengers might be on a 30-seat bus. Let Road cc know and I'll ask Tony/Simon to pass on details, as we can work on delivery of a facility which will both help visitors, bringing bikes in without putting them on or in cars, and locals, especially the young and others who don't even have the ability to hold a driving licence.

I'll close with an idea which is already popular for pubs and restaurants in the Hope Valley - going out on an evening train, or cycling out, and having a meal or drink at a pub or restaurant, and coming home on the last train of the evening - often providing a substantial boost (ie 50+%) to passenger numbers. Transfer that to the bus services and perhaps we might start a virtuous circle of raising patronage and revenue, which in turn supports more frequent services, which than encourages more use of the more convenient services.

Of course with the radical goings on in the West Country, eyes are already looking at the old LSWR Main Line, where the earthworks have been largely preserved by its use as a cycle route, making it potentially re-useable. Not quite the full convenience of the Airdrie to Bathgate path, and it would need to have a stronger assurance that both the path and the railway would be completed at the same time, so perhaps the Derby-Manchester route might be restored?

PManc is just being polite, the Peak District is shit at the best of times and it is bloody awful for cyclists. The pubs are virtually non-existent and if you do find one that's open then the beer is muck.

The people are rude, aggressive and very unfriendly. It's probably best for all concerned if you don't bother coming.

I've heard the New Forest is good for cycling, try there instead.

Or keep going over the Pennines to Yorkshire.

The Monsal Trail is a lovely ride for the whole family, and incredibly popular on a sunny day. When we rode it, the main complaint was that it was almost too busy.

But imho the main issue with trails like this (and the close by High Peaks and Tissington Trails) is that the access by public transport is poor - especially if you're trying to take your bike, and the surrounding areas have fast busy intimidating roads. So these trails tend to be a get-there-by-car and do-an-out-and-back affair for any non-road-warrior cyclists.

This is a result of cyclists having to beg at the table to get the leftovers from Beeching cuts and the like. Of course Bakewell no longer has a station; the Monsal Trail only exists because they closed the train line. And I don't think a paltry ten grand is likely to do much about that.

Pedant: Headstone Viaduct.