Cycle to Work Day 2015

 

Usually this time of year we (HarBUG) runs the first of two Cycle to Work days.

 

We have decided to suspend the Cycle to Work days for this year. The Cycle to Work days are primarily to encourage people to try cycling to work but there seems to be little merit in doing this when:

• The main routes (from Didcot and Wantage) are in such a state that only very keen cyclists (like us) will use them. None of them are really suitable unless you have an off road bike. The Winnaway has deteriorated even further and at the Campus end where it meets the A4185, it is very trickey to get past without going into a pothole. The Hagbourne Hill track, at the Campus end, has been covered with a thick layer of mud, which has now solidified and makes very uncomfortable riding. The last stretch of Sustrans route 544 from Wantage, once again at the Campus end, has been a problem for many years.
• There will be (hopefully) upheaval on the routes as they are rebuilt or upgraded. This may result in some routes being shut to allow works to be carried out. If you are new to cycling this may put you off. However this should be short term pain for long term benefit. There will also be another seven week period of the Hagbourne Hill road to Chilton being closed.

If there is real progress in improving the routes we will organise a ‘grand opening’ of the Winnaway later on in the year, but I realistically don’t think this will be until next year.

I know a lot of people like the Cycle to Work day as it is the only time we get to meet up as cyclists and we are sorry if this is disappointing. We will organise them again next year with upgraded routes.