South Ayrshire's 'Alps' - Scotland's first road cycling park opens website

With Robbiec too. All rural roads should have speed limits low enough for locals and tourists to ride or walk on them withoput fearing for their lives, but roads that form part of designated and heavily promoted walking and/or cycling routes should be considered "green roads" and have signs reminding motorists that the road forms part of a cycle route or network.

Was on a road like that in Germany two weeks ago when I was overtaken considerately by a motorist and then came around the next corner to find his car sitting in the road with the engine off. The driver was standing next to the vehicle waiting for a hedgehog to finish crossing the road ...

anything to promote cycling is welcome, however, this sort of thing has been in France for years and years.
no mention from the council on prioritising pothole fixing or decent tarmac on these routes or traffic calming, traffic awareness, gritting etc.

nothing apart from a website that actually needs money to implement then.
...and of course we'll see if in the years to come the signs are still there and everything maintained.
i do hope this is a council CULTURE change, not just trying to make a quick buck from tourists to visit and spend some cash.

Great idea - hope it works and doesn't just die with a reduction in funding at some point. These things are fine to get off the ground but continual improvement and development will keep people coming back.

There has to be more than a website though to make this work. It is still really only a concept. Surprised they haven't gone in with some manufacturers to boost the effort. along the line of something like Giant 365 in Rutland. How about some accomodation and transport partners? Help to line up services to support cyclists and local businesses (plus get them to do some marketing too). No transport information and the link for accomodation sends you to Visit Scotland, which doesn't mention it.

Interesting idea but I definitely agree with robbiec.

Actually, realistic speed limits on rural roads would be a cheap and effective way to encourage cycling everywhere.

I'm liking this. I fancy somewhere different to ride and want a weekend away and I'd heard this part of the world was good riding, but you never know what are good roads and what are not. Good idea, hope it works for them - and they've a special rain cloud removal machine.

Nice, but the website is borked. Can't sign up for the mailinglist and links to the maps 404.

I wish the organisers every success, but 'Ayrshire Alps'?! A bit misleading, perhaps. They aren't remotely alpine!

What next, the 'Highland Himalayas'?

Great idea BUT, I hope some of the investment goes on special signs aimed at car drivers. French cycle routes do this but UK ones do so only rarely - the safe passing image from rule 163 of the Highway code would be a good start.

I guess locals could be OK about this but bloke with a caravan and tourist drivers could be a significant problem. I live in a rural area and many drivers rip along lanes fast cos they are allowed (national speed limit is 60mph) and chance of getting caught is low. They could experiment with lower limits - 30 mph like on urban roads where there are two lanes and 20mph on narrower roads.