Rushup Edge – some good news

As reported in the forum thread, Ride Sheffield and Peak District MTB’s efforts have resulted in a cessation of Derbyshire County Council’s controversial works on Rushup Edge. Here’s the press release; once you’ve read it, head over to PDMTB to complete the survey it hopes will help DCC to understand why its actions have caused such an uproar…

“Ride Sheffield (RS) and Peak District MTB (PDMTB) members have been instrumental in persuading Derbyshire County Council that they must listen to the mountain bike community. On Friday, we were contacted by DCC offering a meeting on Dec 2^nd along with the the BMC, Friends of the Peak District/CPRE and Keeper of the Peak, co-signatories of last week’s Open Letter.

Anxious that the meeting should be conducted in the correct spirit, RS  and PDMTB pressed DCC that no work should recommence on Rushup Edge until after the meeting. DCC have demonstrated admirable good faith by agreeing to a cessation of works until Dec 9^th at the earliest.  Richard Bonner, Assistant Head of Countryside Service for DCC informed us, “works are suspended until 9th December 2014 on the route.”

This excellent result would not have been possible without the hard work of mountain bikers right across the Peak District, Sheffield and beyond. The letters, emails, tweets and phone calls have borne fruit and it is testament to the power of our arguments that we haven’t been ignored.

Of course, this isn’t the end of the affair. We have to see Rushup Edge reinstated to its former glory and secure genuine consultation in the future, nothing less. Rest assured, RS, PDMTB, the BMC, Friends of the Peak District/CPRE and Keeper of the Peak will continue to fight your corner.”

Peak District MTB
Ride Sheffield
KeeperofthePeak