Accessing the upper Peak areas and Ladybower dams by rail

On 11 January I met with members of the Sheffield Sustrans ranger team, representatives from Northern Rail and Helen Carrington, the trails officer at Peak District National Park (PDNP). 

We met at Bamford Station to walk up to Thornhill Car Park and look at signing options to increase awareness of the option to use the train to bridge the current gap in NCN6 between the Hope Valley and Stockport. At present there is no possibility of a viable option to create a purpose built, safe cycle route out of Castleton and over the lower end of the Pennines. 

 As we walked I reinforced the existing signage and added a few extra signs to direct cyclists from the Sheffield bound platform towards the start of the Thornhill trail. 

 I was surprised at just how well  the signage that we put in place 4 or 5 years ago had survived. Whilst the signage at the end of the Thornhill trail, onto NCN 6 was quite clear, the position for those travelling away from the dams was not quite so good; so I added a few extra signs

The purpose of visiting the Thornhill car park was to look at how we might alert cyclists to the fact that NCN6 terminates at Castleton, and there is currently no safe way to reconnect with it until Romiley, using tracks or roads. Therefore we would like to promote actively the use of trains between Bamford and Romily to complete the link in the cycling network. 

We think that an information board at the car park, as well as smaller notices on the gates alongside the road would help draw atention to cyclists of the rail option. Appropriate signs at both Bamford and Romiley stations would help to promote the idea as well. An example of the sort of information board we envisage, and where we would site it are shown below. 

Northern Rail seem to be fully on board with supporting the idea and PDNP already have the Thornhill trail route promoted on their web pages. https://www.visitpeakdistrict.com/trails/hope-valley-cycle-routes-upper-derwent-valley The wording on the sign will need to be concise, with a QR code leading to more explanatory text and further work will be done to consider this.

As well as making it possible through this initiative to continue on NCN6 through to Gtr Manchester, we wish to improve the sustainable transport offer in the Hope Valley. Working with partners we want to: create a sustainable transport hub around a station. Bamford would seem very suitable for this because:- 

·         Trains from Sheffield and Manchester arrive at approximately the same time. Service frequencies are likely to be increased once the Hope Valley upgrade is complete.

·         The Thornhill Trail offers a route to Labybower as well as a link to NCN6.

·         There is an off-road cycle track to Hathersage and this is due to be extended to Hope and Castleton.

·         Bike hire is available at the Bike Garage as well as Fairholmes

 Better information on sustainable transport options is needed at the Station and the Thornhill car park. By working with PDNP and Northern Rail we hope to achieve this.