Cycling on Seafronts

[Paul Power]

Hi Everyone,

I'm putting together some information for a project I'm working on with the objective of opening up more cycle routes on UK seafront Promenades.

At the moment we have a situation where on the one hand some local authorities have enormous problems with the concept, banning it entirely - like here in Littlehampton. While others, view it differently and positively encourage it.

I need your help and experiences by letting me know of any Seafronts Proms where you can ride, and of course those where you cannot.

You can email me at paulpower07@aol.com

Many thanks in advance.

Paul Power
www.Paulpower.co.uk

[dai]

Hi Paul - Swansea encourages cyclists and there is a great ride along the seafront from the Maritime Museum right up to the mumbles.

A little further along the coast there is a special coastal cycle path starting near Llanelli - good cafe, cycle hire and kiddie trailers available.

[JohnW]

The Southsea/Portsmouth seafront is wonderful - signs suggest that cycling isn't allowed, but that doesn't stop cyclists of all ages (and I mean all ages), and I've never seen any coflict myself. I haven't actually ridden it myself - I'm usually with my better half, but I have plans to.

JohnW

[Paul Power]

Thanks Dai and John.

The more cycle friendly/allowed seafronts I can confirm the better. Once I have identified the ones you can I intend to contact them for their stats on cyclist V Pedestrian accidents/incidents. Because from what I can gather there are either none or those that have happened don't seem to be recorded anywhere.

Thanks for your help, much appreciated.

Paul

www.paulpower.co.uk

[fatboy]

Just got back from Hunstanton where they have a seafront (well coastal defence really) that you can't cyle along in town but just south of town all the way to the village of Heachan you can. It was great fun if a little windy and I have to confess not strictly observing the not cycling in town bit. Didn't seem to cause any harm. Might be a bit different in season.

[dai]

Spent a day in Weymouth recently - plenty of cyclists on the prom and didn't see any signs saying they couldn't

[Aido]

Hi Paul, I dont know your research will take you north. Near Ediburgh we have a couple of Promenades that I know about, Potobello Promenade and Silversknowes Esplanade. At Potobello the first half of the promenade is a bit steeper but its quite wide about 4m I think, Cyclists are allowed to cycle here, in fact most of the people there when I was there were cyclists. The second half is flatter and there's more Peds but cyclists are still allowed to use it. The Silverknowes Esplanade is extremely wide, plus 6m all non motorised users are there. (Cyclists/ Peds/ Dog Walkers). Further a field there is an interesting project in Ireland www.s2s.ie , this hopes to be the longest promenade in Europe and will be for bikes too.

[Paul Power]

Aido and everyone else - thank's very much that's really helpful. Keep 'em coming. For example, does anyone know of any proms that have had a ban, which has now recently been removed?

Thanks in advance

Paul

www.PaulPower.co.uk

[daveg]

Great idea Paul. Cycling on sea fronts is really special. I had a boyhood dream of cycling down the prom at Bridlington - banned! Still not forgiven them. And still not allowed.

Named and shamed - lets see if they change their minds now.

[themadorganist]

Grange-over-Sands (South Cumbria) - glorious 1.5 mile long seafront. Cycling is officially banned but with the exception of one cantankerous old git ive never had any problems. Its wide and as long as you dont do 25mph down it no one seems to care.

[Blarn E Stone]

Whitstable to Herne Bay could be great, but, there is an archaic by-law banning bikes. There is an active pedestrian group including a miserable old cow who shouts at you (and lets her dog cr@p on the beach in contravention of another by-law)who bombard the local authority and police with complaints.
There is a shared path between Walmer and Deal with an excellent safety record and Thanet allow cycling on all the seafront ,marketing it as the Viking Trail, and they askyou to dismount at the very busy points where you can't ride anyway. There is no reason why the same couldn't apply to Herne Bay and Whitstable.
However, the costs associated with a contested overturning of the by-law means the local authority will not proceed. Shame isn't it.
Doesn't stop me or many others riding it though

[JJF]

I keep writing a response to this but the reply page fails to send it to the message board.

[downhill lover]

Hi Paul
Margate, Ramsgate and Deal are good seafronts for cycling on. Hastings and Worthing are also cyclist friendly but can get a bit crowded on times. Brighton - excellent , Eastboune - hasn't discovered the bike yet.

[Tandemist]

Bournemouth has a great promenade you can cycle along for miles, although I think I went past some of those signs with nice black pictures of bicycles in red circles the last time I cycled along there a few years ago.

[Paul Power]

Interesting how many seafronts still ban cycling, even though the authorities may take a blind eye.

This raises the question of the Byelaw. We suffer from that here in L/hampton. Ancient byelaws that prohibit everything along our seafront.

Does anyone know why it's so expensive for l/authorities to overthrow byelways?

Surely it should be just a stroke of a pen and a quick five minute natter session at the local council meeting?

Thanks for your very helpful replies.

Anymore always welcome!

Paul

www.paulpower.co.uk