Potential Mangotsfield and Bath branch line reopening - Sustrans has got it wrong, says rail group

[eastdyke]

Ah - sorry my bad. I thought that you were offering a 'further update on the Rail Future plan'.

 

[HowardGWR]

Sustrans probably would be happy with that, unlike other cycle campaigners, hell, Sustrans probably wouldn't care if it didn't have a tarmac surface. There's plenty of their so-called National Cycle Network has their signs pointing down half metre wide muddy tracks that you need to lift your bike over a barrier to access.

Other cycle campaigners would point out that 3.5m is the minimum standard in various government publications for a new build off-road cycleway/mixed use path and that ideally if busier it should be 4m or more, with no barrier that block access to trikes, tandems and trailers and that it should have a tarmac surface for all weather use by all cycles.

It has to be remembered that the Railway Path is not a cycle path. It is a path for all except motorised users and as you can see on that video, it simply is not adequate for mothers with prams along with the Bradley Wiggins types. There is much aggro reported in the Bristol Post as a result.
Really extraordinary when, as I wrote, it was the Midland Railway main line and was wide enough to take GWR express engines and their big cylinder protrusions.