WELCOME to our readers and a BIG THANK YOU to all contributors to this newsletter. For more information about us see our:Website http://northstaffscycling.btck.co.uk/ Leaflet and Facebook site

Annual General MeetingThe AGM on 5 November 2014 was again held in the community meeting room at Newcastle fire station. All of the 2013 committee were re-elected as follows:Chair – Geoff Cartlidge (tel 626346)Secretary – Geoff Kilford (tel 388642)Treasurer/ membership - John Bradbury (tel 860259)Social secretary – John Lees (tel 502614)Council liaison/Newsletter – Mike Barr (tel 616243) “Long” rides organiser – Geoff Cartlidge“Medium” rides organisers – Mike Barr/Mike Durkin Other committee members - Dave Barker, Mick Bennett, Phil Hughes and Alf Joynson

Membership, income and spend In 2014 we have 35 members and, thanks to our treasure of a treasurer, income has exceeded spend for several years and we are comfortably solvent. Membership subscriptions for 2015 (still excellent value at only £5) are now due and John Bradbury will be pleased to hear from you. The income from membership pays for affiliation to the CTC, for publicity (including this newsletter and the leaflet), administrative expenses and also provides a small surplus.

At the AGM it was suggested that we could consider using some of our surplus in line with the club’s aims to support and encourage cycling and road safety. For example to spend on promotional material for medium and short rides that club members are involved with and/or a donation to an appropriate charity.

Public liability insuranceThe club’s affiliation to the CTC provides public liability insurance for the club officials who organise and lead rides and activities. However it does not provide insurance for other members on club rides or for club members at other times. Club members are strongly recommended to get their own 3rd party insurance. One way to do this is by getting CTC restricted membership (cost £18 pa) via our club’s affiliation to the CTC (contact John Bradbury about this). Alternatively CTC full membership costs £41.50 pa or £27 for pensioners and unwaged.

NSC rides“long rides”(50+ miles) - In 2014 our monthly programmed rides and our twice weekly impromptu rides usually attracted 10-20 riders which shows that a high proportion of our members ride regularly. The AGM agreed 2015 monthly rides programme (see our leaflet, website and the back page of this newsletter) is a slight amended version of the 2014 programme.

“medium rides” (20+ miles) – Sadly there were no “medium” rides in 2014. The rides’ organisers would like to organise some rides in 2015 as they think that there is a demand for this length of ride. However some of this demand may already be met by rides organised by other local clubs rides and the SkyLocal rides in Newcastle and Cheshire. I would be grateful to hear from any members who have information on these other rides.

Café StopsThe list and map of café stops on our website needs updating and I would be grateful to know about new cafes or ones that have closed.

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2014 Newsletter2014 Newsletter

Other rides“leisurely rides” (5+ miles) - The rides are mainly on greenways and are aimed at less confident riders and also to promote the extensive local traffic free greenway network of cycle routes. The rides have been running for 9 years and at one time averaged over 30 riders per ride. In 2014 there were 7 rides but they attracted fewer riders (average of 13) than in previous years and with few new faces. The lower turn out may be due in part to

late printed publicity from Stoke Council loss of rider email list by organiser(!) low turnout on 3 Saturday experimental rides competition from other rides? riders preferring to ride on their own using the

free council cycle maps? limited scope to attract more new riders?

As it will be the 10th (and possibly last) year of these rides in 2015 it is intended to try to boost publicity for any “Leisurely” rides that are organised. Details for will be known next spring.

“Sky Local” rides – In 2014, as well as the “big” rides in cordoned off circuits in main cities, which attracted thousands of riders, there were also “Local” rides in 3 districts in Staffordshire (including Newcastle). The “Sky local” rides are aimed at different levels of cycling i.e. “easygoing”, “steady” and “challenging” and it would be interesting to know how many riders they attracted so please let me know if you went on one.

Cycle trips and toursThis is a very brief summary of some things that I know about that club members have been up to this year (please tell me if you have been missed out). Tour de France – in July 2 club members went to see the tour in Yorkshire (see Le Grand Depart) and one went to see the roll out in Cambridge The Cotswolds –2 club members went on a week’s Youth Hostelling tour in the Midlands and including the Cotswolds.Chester 100 – several members enjoyed this annual event.Stoke to Exmoor and back – 2 club members averaged 120+ miles per day for 4 days when they cycled 250 miles each way.Isle of Wight – 2 members toured the Isle of Wight, south coast and Welsh borders (see article).Mallorca – 1 member went on a cycle training camp (see article).Sierra Nevada – 4 members enjoyed a week’s

mountain biking in the Sierra Nevada including the highest pass in mainland Spain - the mighty Col de Mulhacen (see article)

Le Grand Départ – Geoff Cartlidge

Early July always sees the start of the Tour de France, but this year it was to be different as the start, plus the first three stages, were to be in England.

Having seen an advert in a local paper for a weekend based in Leeds to see the start and finish of the first stage and part of the second state I booked a place along with John Lees.

The coach arrived on time at Stoke station, we got on, along with three others, one being Godfrey Barlow, who is very well knows as a very good racing cyclist in his time and lately the author of a book on Tommy Godwin who managed to complete 75,065 miles in a year back in 1939.

Our first stop was to be Skipton but a comfort stop was required by other people who had been on the coach for over two hours.

Arriving at Skipton in the rain, the town was gearing up to receiving the Tour. Yellow, polka dot and green jerseys were hanging everywhere including the church tower.

Our hotel was the Ibis Leeds Central which worked out a good base. We seemed to be the only English as the hotel was full of Tour support staff who all spoke French so the atmosphere was good.

The following morning was the start and we were able to walk from the hotel to the centre of Leeds which only took about 15 minutes. It was quite strange with everybody walking in one direction and no traffic.

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When we reached the centre it was already crowded and there were hours to go. We managed to see some of the riders signing in. Although we couldn’t see much the atmosphere was magic.

When they finally set off we saw some helmets and not much more but we felt it was still worth being there. Then came the problem of finding the coach which was to take us to Harrogate for the finish. We did eventually find it after wandering round Leeds for an hour or so. There had been so many coaches that there was no way they could fit in the small street allocated.

Getting to Harrogate it became clear that the finish was going to be crowded. John and I decided to walk a little way out and intersect the route. We were positioned on a roundabout about two miles from the finish, and then we waited, and waited and waited. Finally the caravan started to pass with all manner of shaped trucks and vans advertising all manner of things which were mostly lost on us! When the riders arrived we could see Cav’s team sorting themselves out as they swept round in front of us, a great moment, and then it was all over. So it was back to the coach. It was only when we got back to the coach that we heard about the crash which took Cav out of the Tour.

We did get to see William and Kate leaving by helicopter as we walked back to the coach so the day was not a complete waste of time??

The following day we were taken to Huddersfield to watch the Tour pass through. We arrived with hours to spare as the people were setting up positions. We decided on a cup of coffee and found a Wetherspoons.

Having had a lot of sun the day before we looked for a place with some shade. We sat under a tree and started talking to a lady sat next to us. It appears her husband was from Stoke and they had visited our

lovely city a few weeks ago (we later learned they knew Andy Swindells and that Jack Allen had visited their home that weekend.... small world!!)

We were fed and watered by the local Sikh community whilst we waited. The same adverts were driven past us and then the riders came past and it was all over too quickly. But then, that’s what happens! When we were sure there were no more riders off the back we made our way back to the coach.

We then joined the thousands of cars and coaches making their way home waiting for the roads to be re-opened after the Tour had passed some hours before.

In all it was a great weekend. When we were dropped off at Stoke station we were glad we did not live in Birmingham as they had another two hours on the coach. I can’t wait for the Tour to return to sunny England!

Isle of Wight Adventure Malcolm Elvidge

After the baggage handlers’ trauma encountered during last year’s tour of Crete, Mike and I decided on a ‘local’ tour this year down on the south coast. Our plan was to see as much as we could and also have a few days on the I.O.W.

So it was on 31st August, that we caught the

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train down to Southampton from Stoke station at 11 a.m. We arrived trouble free with no train changes. I had previously booked the Premier Inn, Southampton for the night, so we cycled from the station and dropped our panniers, etc, off at the hotel. These are cheap hotels, generally, if you book well in advance. The cost for the twin room for the night was only £35. We had a cycle around the City for a while, and then down to the port to see a massive P&O cruise ship leave. The evening was spent in the City, having a meal and a few beers.

The following day, we left the hotel and caught a small ferry across Southampton Water, to Hythe. This is a picturesque, quaint little place, worth visiting. A ride through the New Forest from here, proved pleasant, with a stop off for lunch at Brockenhurst. The woodland track from Brockenhurst was a little bit rough and very difficult to look elsewhere, other than down onto the boulder strewn, sandy path. I was glad to get away from it! As usual, Mike had got detailed maps, unfortunately, the ones that didn’t give surface conditions on paths. We cycled on down to Lymington and caught the ferry across to Yarmouth on the I.O.W. We thought that we were in for a bad spell when the miserable drizzle started as we arrived on the I.O.W. Nothing could have been more untrue, as the rest of the holiday was spent in shorts and tee shirt! A friend of Mike’s had a holiday home in Ryde and we were fortunate to spend three days here with the house to ourselves. All we had to do was water the gardens!

We spent the next three days cycling around the Island and I think we saw virtually all of it. We had music in the local pub and had great cycling weather, visiting Newport, Cowes, Bembridge, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor and The Needles. There are spectacular views at The Needles and the Alum Bay cliff rocks, and some of the interior of the I.O.W is very quiet countryside, with good cafe stops.

We left the I.O.W. and caught the ferry from Ryde to Portsmouth. There were tens of thousands of young people at both Ryde and Portsmouth, coming to the I.O.W ‘Bestival’. It was a picture, as two old gits with bikes had to push their way through them. We always seemed to be going the wrong way! At Portsmouth, we decided to get away from it all, and caught the small ferry to Hayling Island. A good ride up to Havant did the trick and from here, we caught a train across

to Brighton. I liked Brighton very much, and I had a few beers in the seafront ‘Old Ship’, while Mike had a ‘wander’. We had brought tents, but once again, Mike had relatives in Lewes, and so, off to there for the night. We spent the evening with them, drinking wine and having a meal cooked for us.

The following morning, we set off for Chichester and took the NCN route 2, virtually all along the coast, through Hove and Shoreham-by-Sea. Having stopped off for a pub lunch in Worthing, we found Lakeside camp site at Chichester, where we pitched for the night. No bar here, so we walked into the town and had a meal, listening to live music in a good town centre pub. The down side to the evening was the taxi back to camp- £9 for 1½ miles!

Swanage and Corfe Castle was to be our next destination, but a little too far for a day’s cycling. We caught a train from Chichester to Southampton, and then another to Brockenhurst. We cycled from here, again through a different part of the New Forest, minding the ponies as we went! The forest is dense in places, but opens up into vast parkland in others, very serene and unusual for a forest. Cycling on, we made it to Bournemouth and on the sea front we engaged in conversation with a Sustrans advertising campaign. The young girl was very persistent in trying to get Mike to give money to Sustrans even though Mike kept telling her that he was already a Sustrans Ranger and supporter.. We moved on to Sandbanks, supposedly the Mayfair of the south coast. From here we hopped on the chain ferry to the Isle of Purbeck, cycling on through Swanage. We camped at Corfe Castle for the night, going into the village for a few drinks and a meal at night.

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Off to Wareham the next day. I had previously booked the Premier Inn, Southampton, again for the night, so we caught another train from Wareham to Poole. The harbour front at Poole made a good breakfast stop, before cycling on to Wimbourne. Here we had tea and cake, sitting in the sun next to the Minster. A great life, this! We made it back to Southampton and spent the night in the Giddy Bridge, eating and drinking.

We had plenty of time to cycle back home from Southampton, and so we set off the following morning, after breakfast at Wetherspoons. Romsey was the first town, but we cycled on and had lunch in Salisbury. After a look around the cathedral we moved on, through picturesque villages, and once again stayed the night with Mike’s friends in Frome. Their friend, Peter, had done some serious long distance cycling and he joined us for the evening, telling us some interesting stories.

Our cycling, the next day, took us through Radstock and on into Bath for lunch. We picked up the Bristol to Bath railway path soon after. I’ve never seen so many cyclists on a path before. There were literally hundreds. My only fear for cycling was the fact that most of them were commuting, and didn’t like to be slowed down by anything or anyone. We only stopped to look at our map and grumbling commuters showed their disgruntlement! The path is all tarmac and passes through two very long tunnels with full psychedelic lighting and music. We arrived in Bristol and again, Mike had friends here. He also has them in Timbuktu and on the Sea of Tranquillity! Finding their house proved difficult, but we had a good stay here with a lovely young couple and their new born baby.

Looking around Bristol the next morning, we followed the River Avon to the S.S Great Britain, before having coffee and cake at a waterfront cafe. By midday, we were crossing over the Severn Bridge and into Wales.

This really shakes in the middle! The bridge, that is, not Wales!

Lunch was at Chepstow and then we cycled on, along

the Wye Valley and into Monmouth. The Y.H.A site at Welsh Bicknor was our stop for the night and I’m writing this as ‘Billy No Mates,’ sitting in the lounge having a beer. We’re in the middle of nowhere!

The road out of the Y.H.A is awful, but we pressed on and made it to Hereford and stopped to have a look at the cathedral. We sat in the cloister courtyard in full sun, drinking tea and having a bite to eat. Moving on, we cycled to Leominster and bought lunch from a farm bakery, eating this in the town. Later on to Ludlow and a look at the castle, but we need a camp or somewhere for the night. Come to realise Mike is useless- got no friends or relatives near here! Cycling along the bottom of Wenlock Edge, we came across a

Y.H.A. sign. Wilderhope Manor, is an old ‘Lord of the Manor’ building and once again, in the middle of nowhere. We spent the night in this fabulous Y.H.A. talking to other guests.

The next day, we were making for home. We had breakfast at the Y.H.A. and then cycled on, having a drink and something to eat in Shifnal. On home territory, we got to Eccleshal, where we went our separate ways, having had a great time.

So, that was our tour for 2014. I had cycled 611 miles by the time I got home. Incredibly, almost every day was sunny, amazing for September. We had seen many places and the cycling companion was once again very social.

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Mountain biking in the Sierra Nevada Ben Edwards

September was drawing near and I was getting itchy feet for another foreign biking adventure. I’d heard various accounts off you old boys of biking tours in southern Spain, in particular cycling up the Pico Veleta. At something like 3400m it sounded like a right slog.....ideal I thought! Ange would like that.

As a change to a touring holiday and the alternative of a single hotel based road bike trip I settled on mountain biking from a single base to explore the area. An internet search found the perfect solution... or so I thought.

Dave and Karin were persuaded to throw their lot in with us (the fools) and in mid September off we jetted to Malaga. Dave and Karin brought their fancy mountain bikes with them in huge bike bags

they rather awkwardly wheeled through the airports.

We were met by our host, another Dave (Isaacs). Not to be confused with ‘Chatty Dave’. His stock phrase was ‘I don’t know’. He was Lancashire bred but had clearly spent far too long living in sunny Spain and possibly indulging in the local beverages and whatever else the hippy town of Orgiva had to offer.

We were squeezed into his beat up van and driven to our base on the southern side of the mountains and the edge of town and the villa ‘El Olivo’. It was a rather modest set up of a slightly shabby living room and 2 bedrooms set in an Olive grove garden with swimming pool so tiny that I could very nearly touch all four sides at the same time. This house was owned by our host and he treated it as though he was still living there (he wasn’t) and he would often turn up and wander in and out when we weren’t out biking.

Anyway, we settled in and Dave B set about assembling their bikes. Our host returned and was most perturbed we weren’t ready for the days’ ride. Out of a shed he produced a couple of battered bikes for Ange and me. They were of similar condition to his van, but the wheels seemed to spin OK and the brakes worked on a part time basis, so that was us sorted.

Biking didn’t start until the next day. Everyone shot off through the town and down a steep alleyway leaving Ben behind (what’s new?) A rough uphill climb in a river bed then dusty track slowed everyone up. Then some better going on tarmac

up to a village, beyond which was a dusty walkers track that degenerated into an unridable section with steep drop off. Dave B tumbled off so there was no way we were riding that. Topping out at an odd dam Karin somehow contrived to knock her derailleur wheel off. Luckily she found it and the screw and after some crafty ingenuity from Dave (he trimmed the rubber washer with his penknife) it was fixed.

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Now at last we could enjoy some down hill, following an irrigation channel. Various dusty tracks took us back home.

That evening we cooked in the villa rather than eat out (which we did for the rest of the holiday) much to the surprise of our host. Chef Dave knocked up a cracking meal including a whole bag of pasta to give us energy for the big day ahead... He’s got some appetite that boy.

Our strange host arrived next morning to ferry us and bikes up the mountain to the pretty white washed village of Capileira. We could have pedalled it. Beyond that was a wide dirt road up into the forest and the Sierra Nevada national park. A steady slog eventually took us out on to the open moorland. I stopped to get a snap of a herd of goats. I quickly got back on my bike when I spotted an enormous dog the size of a St Bernard guarding them. He didn’t look friendly.

Journeys end that day was the refuge at Poqueira. We lounged around on the sun terrace eating pop corn and later had some good tucker before retiring to one of the bunk rooms.

Next morning we set off to conquer Pico Veleta. Karin decided to duck out so the rest of plodded back up the really steep dirt road we had come down the afternoon before. It started to rain a bit and the wind was up. No longer was it the 30 degrees of Orgiva. As the trail got rockier Ange opted to drop back and make her own way up at a steadier pace, maybe to the lake partway up.

Just the 3 of us now continued on. But the further we progressed the more reluctant was our guide to carry on. It took a great deal of cajoling to keep him

going. And he was meant to be leading the ride! Just because it was blowing a hurricane and no longer T shirt weather. The trail was still good though the landscape bleak. We kept going, encouraging the guide.

Finally we got to a patch of snow then round a corner and to our surprise, there was a car. We’d reached the ‘other side’ and the road to the top. We got past the top ski station and were perhaps just a couple switch backs from the top when our ‘leader’ insisted we turn back, it was too windy. Whaaaaat?

Reluctantly we set off home, when to our great surprise, there was Ange... walking! How the hell had she done that? She wanted to carry on but did turn back. Her bike was dumped miles back down the trail.

Only a little further down we then came across Karin as well. She came back with us as we all retreated down the mountain and back to the shelter of the refuge. Ange was a tad chilly by the time she rolled in a bit after us.

Next day was nearly all down hill. Karin and Ange took the wider track down while us boys did some narrower trails. Further down the mountain we got back into unrideable single track sections (well Dave could still do them... show-off that he is).

Finally back in Orgiva we ventured off to a bar for beers and the newly found delights of Tapas. Entertainment was the spectacle of one of the local hippies staggering around in a world of his own.

Next day, as a change, we took a local bus the hour and a half to sweltering Granada for a bit of culture and sight seeing. The Alhambra was packed so we had to queue for tickets to the grounds with no availability left for the central complex. Karin rang

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her mum in Denmark. It was strange hearing her rabbit on in a foreign tongue, as did Dave... he seemed to make more sense than normal. We did get to see the bulk of the Moorish palace with its nifty ornate buildings along with the delightful gardens. Equally impressive was the cathedral and the biggest organ i’ve ever seen. Maybe the girls have seen bigger.

One final day saw more pushing again as we slogged up another dry dusty unrideable track only to ride back down another dry, rocky unrideable track with a rather memorable 40+ switchbacks that only Dave Brindley managed to master. Not even our guide could.

A week in Mallorca Mike Barr

Late in August my son Tom said that he had some leave from work that he had to use before Christmas and asked would I like to go cycling with him for a few days in October.

As I was just about to go off cycling with cycle friend Malc for 2 weeks in September I was nervous as to what the committee would think about me being away for another week. Tom and I stressed that this would be an opportunity for some healthy fitness training and was definitely NOT a holiday. But where to go? Tom was not keen on a very possibly wet youth hostel tour of Wales or the Lake District and preferred somewhere warmer and drier.

I then remembered that Andy Capper has been working for cycle company Stuart Hall for the last year (see later). The Stuart Hall website offered a reasonably priced “cycle training camp” ½ board package deal in Mallorca in October. The “training camp” title worried me but Andy assured me that there are rides for everyone from 90 mile hilly 20 mph rides for racers to 15 mph flat 50 mile rides for potterers like me.

So we booked up for a week and also hired bikes (we took our own pedals, saddles and helmets – helmets are compulsory in Spain) as although somewhat

dearer it is certainly less risky than taking your own bike on a plane and it gave us the chance to try out full carbon bikes (a Pinarello in my case!!).

October turned out to be a really good time to go as the weather was amazing – no rain and temperatures in the 20’s - and though it was out of season (our hotel closed for the year at the end of the month) we found that the cafes and bars were still open.

Saying that this trip was NOT a holiday started to become difficult when we arrived at our 3 star hotel in Puerto Polensa and then strolled down to the palm tree lined beach front in the warm evening air for a pre dinner snifter. Our large hotel had a lot of cyclists (including some from Newcastle under Lyme) who

were keen to make sure that they were well fuelled up for cycling when they loaded their plates at the buffet style breakfasts and evening meals. Across the road from the hotel was “The Palms” bar which had a

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different tribute act every night, Elvis was particularly

good.

Every morning we cyclists gathered outside the front of the hotel and you chose which of the led rides – easy, steady or fast- to go on or you could do your own thing. Tom and I chose the easy and medium rides and they varied between 35 and 70 miles. The cyclists at our hotel with Stuart Hall were all from the UK – it seems to be that the Brits stay in Puerto Polensa whereas the Germans stay a few miles away in Alcudia – so conversation flowed freely on the rides and in the cafes.

There are lots of delightful little old towns like Petra, Sineu, Muro , Campanet and Sa Pobla with central squares with pleasant cafes. Mostly these had “coat rail” type cycle parking to cater for the hordes of cyclists. I have never seen so many cyclists or lightweight road bikes but I am told that there are many more in April and May!! It is easy to understand why the cyclists come. The weather is warm and dry and the road surfaces are generally silky smooth and there is a wide choice of cycling terrain. The large central plain of Mallorca is flat but there some great hills particularly on the north coast with the stunning scenery of the “Sierra de Tramuntana” that go up to 1,400 m.

Of the rides we did in these mountains the most challenging for me was the famous Sa Calobra. This climbs 2,000 ft along an 8 mile series of hairpins from sea level and though the gradient is not excessive I found it tough going in the October (!) heat and must have drunk a litre of water on the way up to keep me

cool and hydrated. I would not like to be cycling up it in July or August when temperatures are in the 30’s!

[Note: It was great to see Andy Capper while he was working in Mallorca when I was there. He has had an amazing change of lifestyle and in 2014 while working for Stuart Hall he has done a vast mileage on his bike, particularly in France and Spain in his new cycling job and on one day he cycled up Mont Ventoux 3 times!! He is now super cycling fit but currently back working at his old job at Broxap for a couple of months before going back to Mallorca in January].

Cycling in HollandDoug Alcock and Pippa Gilbert

In 2008 Pip gently broke the news that she had requested a 12-week attachment to Europol headquarters in the Hague, Holland, which turned out to be an excellent move when she secured a 7 year contract with possible 4 year extension.

The Hague is an interesting city with top UN and EU institutions and the European headquarters of over 100 multinational companies including Shell. It has 120 embassies, the Dutch parliament and the royal family. It also has Scheveningen, Holland's no. 1 beach resort with commercial fishing harbour and marina. Population is 550,000. With nearby Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht it forms the dynamic heart of the Netherlands, the Randstad.

The Dutch are conservative, educated, organised and sociable with a good sense of humour. They have had the sense over the last 45 years to make cycling as a

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means of transport a priority. When cars started to become generally affordable in the 60s the Dutch, like the British, started to alter the countryside and its cities to accommodate everyone's desire to own a metal monster. But when car parks started to dominate towns, good buildings were demolished and road deaths, particularly involving children, reached an unacceptable level, public demonstrations started throughout Holland and eventually the government decided to listen and build a nationwide safe cycle system. Car parks were removed, road projects halted and a system of high quality and expensive cycle paths was planned and work commenced. Now the Netherlands has an efficient network of integrated cycle and public transport. People's needs and welfare took precedent over commercial interests.

In the Hague 55% of all journeys are on a bicycle. Cyclists have priority on roads, at many junctions, roundabouts and even cycling the wrong way down a one-way street. Cycling is integrated with the impressive bike-friendly train system. All stations have large bike parking facilities, many multi-storey. Utrecht station is currently building parking for 12,500 bikes, the biggest in Europe. At every station there is a public bike hire facility (OV Fiets), using a personal

swipe card, which provides a bike for the day for £2 on account. On leaving the train you are usually on a bike within 5 minutes, the bike being returnable to any station. Planning bike journeys on cycle paths is easy using the "knooppunt" network. Junctions are signposted with numbered routes. Using the

knooppunt maps long journeys can be undertaken just by following the numbers.

One noticeable difference about the Dutch attitude to cycling is that bikes are used as transport, as commercial vehicles of all shapes and sizes, and by people of all social groups, going to work and dressed up and socialising in the evening. Children have their own independent means of transport from an early age and socialise on bike, and 83% of Dutch children are members of a sports club. In one area school children who live more than 10 km from school are being given electric bikes instead of travelling by car or bus. Incidentally 20% of over 70s use a bike as their

means of transport, and last year 25% of bikes sold in Holland were electric ones. Biking has made the Dutch generally fit, tough and slim and not afraid to go out

in bad weather.

So why not come and see for yourself the world's number 1 biking country? Cycle to Liverpool Airport (free high-security bike lockers), fly out with Easyjet (around £60 return), and take the train from the airport

(every 15 minutes) to Amsterdam or the Hague (£8), book a hotel in city centre (Easyhotel £35), and hire a bike. I've just completed my 64th trip to the Hague and cycled 128 times between Alsager and Liverpool Airport (5,120 miles).

So, we'll see you there!

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Cycle campaigningMike Barr

“Get Britain Cycling” is a report produced by an all party committee of MPs in 2013. It provides an effective blueprint on how to increase cycling in the UK to comparable levels to other similar European countries. It calls for a national action plan to transform the cycling environment so that cycling can be seen as a safe and normal activity. It thinks that cycling could be increased from 2% of journeys (in 2011) to 10% by 2025 and 25% by 2050 but to achieve this will need a long term government commitment of £10 to £20 per person i.e. around £500M to £1B pa. Actual current cycle funding is estimated to be between £2 and £5 per person.

Some of the government response was encouraging “The Government is committed to turning Britain into a cycling nation to rival our European neighbours“ and David Cameron has promised “to kick start a cycling revolution”.Also a draft 10 year new National “Cycling Delivery Plan” has been prepared.However its target is only to double cycling by 2025 and explore how to find £10 per head funding by 2020. It is a worry that London may take the lion’s share of future national cycle funding because it already has a commitment of £12.50 per person on cycling for the next 10 years.

Local cycling initiatives – These include 2 Sustrans projects covering primary schools (BikeIT) and high schools in the north and east of the city. Also the “Travelsmart” initiative in 8 of the main employment areas in North Staffordshire includes support and encouragement for more employees to cycle (and walk and travel by bus).There is continuing funding (till 2015 at least) for cycle training (“Bikeability) in all local schools.

Caldon Canal (National Cycle Route 550)– The “pedaltopeak” project is improving cycle and walking routes to and in the Peak district national park including a 5 mile section of the towpath from Stockton Brook to Cheddleton (completion due March 2015). A signed route will then continue on road to Waterhouses and the Manifold Trail. A 2 mile length of towpath on the Leek branch of the canal is due for improvement in 2015 and a signed on road route will continue via Leek to Tittesworth and the Roches.

Milton to Congleton Greenway (National Cycle route 55) – A really useful new ½ mile cycle path links the greenway (which used to end at Milton Road) to the Caldon Canal at Birches Head Road, thus avoiding the need to use the unpleasant former route via Milton Road.

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Berryhill Link – A new cycle path is under construction linking the Eaton Park/Bentilee housing estates to Fenton industrial area (Dewsbury Road). Following the closure of Berryhill High school this provides a much safer route for children to the new St Peter’s Academy and the 6th Form College.

HS2 – A study has been commissioned on improving cycle routes and links in the area 3 miles either side of the proposed HS2 route. In the North Staffordshire section of the HS2 corridor the study might suggest using a 4 mile stretch of former railway (Silverdale to Madeley Road) as a cycle route to add to the existing 2 miles of the Silverdale greenway (national cycle route 551). The chances of this possible suggestion actually happening are long term and speculative at this stage.

North Staffs Cycling campaign issues – The “Get Britain Cycling” report and the CTC “briefings” provide an excellent basis for action to increase cycling nationally. In North Staffordshire there is a need for a long term strategy and proposals to do this locally. It would be good for North Staffs Cycling to have publicly available on our website what we think the strategy should be and also our ideas for improving cycling safety and convenience for cyclists at specific locations. This would help gain local support to

persuade local councils and others to do what is necessary to increase local cycling. If the government were actually to provide £10 or £20 per person to spend on cycling -equivalent to up to £1M per annum for North Staffordshire - what would we want it spent on? This could include:

Lower speed limits e.g. it might cost around £1M to carry out a total “20’s plenty” in North Staffordshire.

Safer and convenient cycle routes e.g. alongside main roads with speed limits over 30 mph

Safer main road junctions and crossings e.g. A500 roundabout at Porthill

Support for employees and students to cycle

2015 LONG RIDE - start location

Sun 4 Jan 9.30 am

Silverdale (“Garners” – Cemetery Road)

Sun 1 Feb 9.30 am

Westport Lake car park

Sun 1 Mar 9.30 am

Barlaston (“Plume of Feathers” PH, Station Road)

Sun 5 Apr 9.30 am

Baddeley Green (c/o B. Green Lane/Leek N Rd)

Sun 3 May 9 am Silverdale (“Garners” - Cemetery Road)

Sun 7 June 9 am Caverswall Square

Sun 5 July 9 am Westport Lake car park

Sun 2 Aug 9 am Barlaston (“Plume of Feathers” PH, Station Road)

Sun 6 Sept 9 am Caverswall Square

Sun 4 Oct 9 am Westport Lake car park

Sun 1 Nov 9 am Silverdale (“Garners” - Cemetery Road)

Wed 4 Nov

7.30 pm

North Staffs Cycling AGM

Sun 6 Dec 9.30 am

Barlaston (“Plume of Feathers” PH, Station Road)

Wed 2 Dec

7.30 pm

North Staffs Cycling Annual dinner

A merry Christmas and a veryA merry Christmas and a very happy 2015 to all our readershappy 2015 to all our readers

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