I would love for someone to do a quick calculation of the cost of barbecue-related wildfires vs whatever benefit they bring to the economy.

David Higham@oldtrotter.bsky.social · last mo.

Reports of big fire in Macclesfield Forest ☹️ Picture by Dom Farley

The Hope Valley Mini Switzerland project announced today that it has financial backing from the DfT/East Midlands CCA Read our post here... @wrirosscities.bsky.social @walkwheelcyclet.bsky.social @highpeakgreens.bsky.social @paultattam.bsky.social chinleybuxworthtg.co.uk/blogs/govern...

I cycled phase 1 of the Wilmslow Handforth cycle path, its alright. Better than the share paths in the area. I read people have seen school children use it, that is good to hear.

Last chance. Closing today. (If you miss it, possible you can still email transport2050@tfgm.com)

Peaks & Puddles 🚲@peaksandpuddles.com · 9mo ago

Consultation is now OPEN on GM’s Transport Strategy 2050, which resurrects old ideas for major roadbuilding over our precious remaining green spaces. Endorsing an A6-M60 link road and A6 High Lane and Disley bypass would hinder key policies in the plan, wasting money and time on the wrong solution.

As a distraction from events in Manchester, those who cycle, use trains and live or travel in the North might want to participate in this short survey: surveys.northernrailway.co.uk/jfe/form/SV_... There's a free form question at the end for being creative.

Peak District councils take note.

Laura Laker@lauralaker.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Exciting National Park news on a Friday lauralaker.substack.com/p/it-may-as-...

Please fill in this consultation to make a pretty dreadful roundabout in Buxton a bit more favourable to active travel!

ManBikesDog@manbikesdog.bsky.social · 6mo ago

To those of us who live in or travel to/through #Buxton, if you're not aware there is a consultation which ends next Friday (20/2/26) on remodelling the A6 Fairfield Rd/Bakewell Rd junction to include crossings for cyclists and pedestrians... 1/ www.derbyshire.gov.uk/council/have...

Hello 2026, time to get to work on changing this before the March deadline? Two minutes of your time for a personal objection. Could really use some wider publicity, please do anything you can!

Peaks & Puddles 🚲@peaksandpuddles.com · 9mo ago

🚨🚗💨 Thanks to Andy Burnham’s Greater Manchester, foothills and valleys of the Peak District fringe face the gravest threat of our lifetimes from huge new roadbuilding. Two severely harmful old road proposals have been dug up for TfGM’s 2050 transport plan. But you can choose a different way. 🌳👇

Note that a now seemingly annual mega noisy tractor parade is happening today looping through High Lane, Marple, Strines, New Mills, Hayfield, Disley. Organised for the great cause that is The Christie cancer care. Embrace it or go elsewhere! And here is an unrelated article.

Air pollution causing 1,100 cases a year of main form of lung cancer in UK

Exclusive: Health experts and cancer charities say findings should serve as wake-up call to ministers

theguardian.com

It’s not every day that a path near my home makes a major political announcement and national news… but the “Mersey Valley Way” has that honour this Boxing Day. /1 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

First of nine new river walks in England announced for north-west

Mersey Valley Way takes in Manchester and Stockport on its 13-mile route with other walks to be identified in 2026

theguardian.com

Tea towels for all the Cheshire towns at the Treacle Market today.

⚠️ Canal & River Trust have confirmed to me that the Peak Forest Canal towpath between Marple and Disley will now remain closed right through to 30th January 2025. Wholly understandable, the work is vital, but it remains a huge inconvenience to those of us who rely on the path as a transport route.

Peaks & Puddles 🚲@peaksandpuddles.com · 10mo ago

⛔️ Peak Forest Canal: vital towpath cycle route closed for many weeks south of Marple Maps, tips, problems, end date. 👇

Heard the canal towpath at Strines Aqueduct may be open? But the CRT stoppage page also states due to towpath side walls being in far worse state work will now continue to 30th January (half expected would happen 🙁): canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/0196... Anyone been along lately?

Peaks & Puddles 🚲@peaksandpuddles.com · 10mo ago

⛔️ Peak Forest Canal: vital towpath cycle route closed for many weeks south of Marple Maps, tips, problems, end date. 👇

Not again, New Mills! 🎄🚲 (Fond memories of the Christmas I got verbally abused by former local cllr on Twitter for daring to suggest putting pointless metal barriers around the only cycle stands when local businesses need supporting is A Bit Bloody Stupid. These are unfixed and can be moved, but…🤷‍♂️)

A new addition to the Peak District cycle parking map! Brill work and thank you - perfect coffee stop on the Cheshire Mountains of Macclesfield now.

Macc Sustainable Travel@fhvjhvgvb.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Earlier in the year I had a chat to the Ranger up at Teggs Nose Country Park. This resulted in me sending him an email with design and siting ideas for better bike stands. He's just emailed me with photos of what he's installed. Cracking job! @owlernook.bsky.social more good news!

Crowden Clough to Ringing Roger refreshing the soul today.

One person can’t oppose £1 billion’s worth of destructive roadbuilding. Surely this isn’t the future we want. Please do all you can to raise awareness and respond!

Peaks & Puddles 🚲@peaksandpuddles.com · 9mo ago

🙌 Together we need to do all we can to raise alarm and rally opposition to more roads giving us more traffic, in even more sensitive areas. ✍️ Tell everyone, especially organisations, to prepare their responses. 💬 Do it yourself now in 2mins: (Delivery Plan, Map 3) www.gmconsult.org/transport/tr...

🚨🚗💨 Thanks to Andy Burnham’s Greater Manchester, foothills and valleys of the Peak District fringe face the gravest threat of our lifetimes from huge new roadbuilding. Two severely harmful old road proposals have been dug up for TfGM’s 2050 transport plan. But you can choose a different way. 🌳👇

Pivot! The Greater Manchester Transport 2050 consultation is now finally live and in the Delivery Plan doc an A6 High Lane and Disley bypass is no longer “promoted by Cheshire East.” 🤭 *Of course* it was only ever a Stockport Council Highways pipe dream. www.gmconsult.org/transport/tr...

Peaks & Puddles 🚲@peaksandpuddles.com · 9mo ago

TfGM state it’s “promoted by Cheshire East” but they seem to disagree. ”Cheshire East Council has not formally sought … provision of a bypass of Disley. The last time this issue was raised was … several years ago and this was never adopted by the Council” www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/a6_h...

TfGM‘s Head of Strategic Planning has confirmed to me the surprisingly defined line of a High Lane and Disley bypass will be updated to a vague arrow in their final Transport Plan Draft. Consultation - and the fight against such ridiculously counterproductive roadbuilding plans - now begins Monday.

Peaks & Puddles 🚲@peaksandpuddles.com · 9mo ago

Here's how that 'High Lane and Disley bypass' looks in the landscape. For an indicative route it is oddly specific - and different to any of the routes last proposed in the 90s. Bear in mind that Disley Golf Club is atop a very visible hill and between Disley and Strines is a green, deep valley.

Oh good, another Transport Plan. Seems to lack any specific targets and vague on whether ever-increasing private car journeys are actually bad. “Road transport is an important part of our mix. 62% of journeys to work under 6 miles are done by car.” www.eastmidlands-cca.gov.uk/mayors-trans...

Chinley and Buxworth Transport Group @cbtransportgroup.bsky.social · 9mo ago

The East Midlands mayor has launched an important consultation on transport matters entitled "The Mayor's Big Transport Conversation" You can have your say by accessing it here... chinleybuxworthtg.co.uk/blogs/the-ea... @whaleychronicle.bsky.social @paultattam.bsky.social @peaksandpuddles.com

Compare and contrast the Government language. £3,750 EV grant on a £35k car: ‘helping families’. Cycle to Work: ‘subsidising leisure’. And yet cycling delivers TEN TIMES the impact of electric cars for reaching net zero. It’s almost like narrative, not data, is driving policy.

Why is Greater Manchester putting two hugely destructive greenbelt road building projects back on the agenda, ploughing even more traffic into the Peak? Let’s call it Andy Burnham’s Big Greenbelt Roadbuilding Plan. Down with the Clean Air Zone signs, in with the diggers. @andyburnham.bsky.social

Peaks & Puddles 🚲@peaksandpuddles.com · 9mo ago

Here's how that 'High Lane and Disley bypass' looks in the landscape. For an indicative route it is oddly specific - and different to any of the routes last proposed in the 90s. Bear in mind that Disley Golf Club is atop a very visible hill and between Disley and Strines is a green, deep valley.

⚠️ Strines, Disley, Newtown, New Mills, Furness Vale: Greater Manchester is looking to resurrect the long-dead A6 High Lane and Disley bypass which would utterly trash the Goyt valley and only make traffic worse and more harmful to this area.

Owler Nook@owlernook.bsky.social · 9mo ago

The draft GM 2050 Transport Strategy is out. It's 272 pages so forgive the focus on one detail. In the map of long-term transport priorities, two ancient road schemes just won't die. The A6–M60 bypass and, somehow, the Disley and High Lane Bypass, which has been dead 30 years.

Remember the trail alongside Fernilee Reservoir with the rogue ‘no cycling’ signs? Brought to my attention someone has now started a petition to make the 3-4m wide route a footpath only to prevent cycling, not permissive bridleway as Peak National Park are pursuing. The petition has… 13 signatures.

⛔️ Don’t forget, a small section of Middlewood Way north of Bollington is now closed to next Wednesday 26th November for resurfacing. Cheshire East have put an alert online saying bikes can be pushed along the top path. Last redone 2020, photo from 2022. www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/leisure,_cul...

I FOI'd English councils whether they use legal land purchase powers to create traffic-free paths. Just 1% said they have successfully. Why is something that's so common for roads almost never done for cycle routes? And what does it mean for cycling? lauralaker.substack.com/p/cycleways-...

Our green and industrious Peak borderlands featured in the Guardian! And if you’d like to explore by bike instead, that’s where peaksandpuddles.com/cycle-routes comes in handy.

From Steel City to Cottonopolis: a new walking trail through a post-industrial Peak District

The nostalgic Steel Cotton Rail Trail between Sheffield and Manchester has 14 day-length sections, with walks for urban explorers and summit-bagging hikers alike

theguardian.com

Back in 2020, Stockport Council consulted on a walking and cycling scheme along (or occasionally parallel to) the A34. It was a mixed bag, but local campaigners supported it with several caveats. It’s back for another consultation – because part of the scheme is being dropped.

⛔️ Peak Forest Canal: vital towpath cycle route closed for many weeks south of Marple Maps, tips, problems, end date. 👇

Peak Forest Canal: vital towpath cycle route closed

A complete closure of the Peak Forest Canal towpath south of Marple is in place for many weeks ahead, blocking a vital safe route for cycling between

peaksandpuddles.com