Hi

Just recieved this which I thought may be of interest to forum readers. Our chance to feedback any ideas you might have about the use of the Peak and it’s relationship with the mountain biker.

Contact details are in the press release.

Ciao.
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Aldern House . Baslow Road . Bakewell . Derbyshire . DE45 1AE
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Twitter: @peakdistrict E-mail: media@peakdistrict.gov.uk Web: http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk Tel: 01629 816356

16 June 2011
For Immediate Release

Still time to join our conversation

Anyone with views on how the Peak District National Park should develop over the next five years and beyond is being encouraged to have their say during a public consultation.

The Peak District National Park Authority began the Join Our Conversation consultation on a draft new National Park Management Plan in April and has received more than 80 responses already.

But the authority is keen to hear from even more people before the deadline on 1 July.

The plan will be the main policy document that guides what will happen in the national park between 2012 and 2017.

A draft plan has been produced by a range of organisations including farmers and land managers, local businesses, charities, voluntary and community groups, parish councils, tourism organisations, recreation user groups, local councils, public organisations and the Peak District National Park Authority.

The public consultation is intended to get the views of an even wider group of people and continue the conversations that will lead to a final plan being approved later this year.

Among the main changes in the draft new plan are:

• Doing more to support the local economy and communities
• Giving a bigger emphasis to supporting and promoting farming and land management
• Ensuring that climate change issues and managing the reduction of carbon emissions is integrated into all areas of work in the national park
• Maintaining the emphasis on protecting and improving biodiversity, cultural heritage and recreation opportunities
• Recognising the interaction of people, the landscape and the economy.

Jim Dixon, chief executive of the Peak District National Park Authority, said: “We are pleased with the response we have had to the survey so far but want to make sure that everyone who wants to has the opportunity to respond before the 1 July deadline.

“The National Park Management Plan is not an authority plan. It is designed to bring together all the people, businesses, charities and organisations that live, work or operate in the national park and get agreement on how we will all work together to make the area an even better place to live in, work in and visit.”

The consultation document and an accompanying questionnaire can be seen by visiting http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/npmpconsultation

Peak District visitor centres at Bakewell, Castleton, Edale and the Upper Derwent also have copies of the consultation documents and staff will be available to explain it and help people make responses.

Media enquiries to John Fern, head of communications, Peak District National Park Authority on 01629 816356 or email john.fern@peakdistrict.gov.uk

ENDS

Does “designate the whole park as ‘right to roam’ have any chance?

Oh and – “stop doing stupid things like turning Chapelgate into an annoyingly water-barred motorway”.

how about letting local businesses expand without putting stupidly expensive restrictions on them meaning its cheaper to move your whole factory and 100+ workers to an industrial estate off Sheffield airport…

Maybe they should take a leaf out of Stalin’s 5 year plan and collectivise farming!

cable car lifts etc 🙂

Just leave it the **** alone?

Oh and – “stop doing stupid things like turning Chapelgate into an annoyingly water-barred motorway”.

I remember many years ago when Chapelgate was a tarmac lane, which over time erroded into a single strip of tarmac up the centre, so was rideable as a climb. The eventually to the big gully, gnarly descent of last year.

So in time this will erode and eventually turn back into the fun stuff.

Yep – but it’s still a waste of money!
Roych was fairly motorway-like when they redid that, but there’s definitely some fun to be had now.

What annoys me about the Chapelgate one is that clearly no mountainbiker had been involved in any sort of way in the plans. The water bars are just big wheelsucking hollows – often with the downslope edge higher than the upslope one. Bunny-hoppable at high speed, but a complete nightmare for anyone going at medium speed or unable to bunny-hop.

My guess is that people will continue to use the tracks on the shoulder – surely negating any advantage to the resurfacing.

I used to call it ‘ribbon of tarmac’ before I knew its proper name. I started riding it in about 1996/7.

I was up chapelgate couple of weeks ago.Makes a good climb now.I like the descent jumping those gullies.Thats the problem with the Peaks they keep graveling everything.Haggside down to Ladybower.mother nature will turn it back.Long as they dont fill in the rock steps down to the road the other end of chapelgate.First road it in 1991.