New Cycle Route To Campus
The Lancaster and Morecambe Cycling Demonstration Town (CDT) Project, managed by Lancaster City Council, has provided an additional dedicated city centre to the Lancaster University cycle route.
The new route opened in December 2007 and uses the newly resurfaced Lancaster Canal towpath from Chancellors’ Wharf. The route is great for students living at Chancellors’ Wharf or staff living west of the city centre or in Morecambe or the Lune villages. This fully-signed route offers a lovely scenic ride along the canal towpath as far as Deep Cutting Bridge on Ashton Road. The route then proceeds along Ashton Road (on new cycle lanes), up Ashford Road to cross the A6 at The Boot & Shoe/Booths and join the remainder of the University cycle route from Hala to the campus at Bailrigg.
Although this new route offers a less direct route for commuters than the alternative eastern route via Bowerham and Hala, it does, however, have its appeal to some cycle commuters such as Steve Elliot and Ian McCulloch, who both work at Lancaster University.
Steve Elliott, who works at the University’s Computing Department, has used the route around three times a week since January. “It's a much better surface given our weather and it's much easier to pass other cyclists and pedestrians as the path is wider,” says Steve. “Others should try it as it's a much more pleasant route to campus than cycling along the A6 or through Bowerham”.
Ian McCulloch, who works at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology at the Lancaster Environment Centre has been using the route to cycle to work around four times a week since March. Ian appreciates this quiet route with its canal-side wildlife. “Although it is slightly longer than the more direct route up the A6, it only adds about five minutes and is much more peaceful. I see very little car traffic along my whole journey, as I also use the cycle path through Fairfield. A quiet ride past herons and swans (and even the occasional kingfisher) is a great way to start your working day.”
The route was funded by the Lancaster and Morecambe CDT Project which was awarded £1.5M worth of funding from Cycling England to show how increased investment could encourage more people to cycle, particularly to and from work.
Please note that the canal towpath is unlit and the University advises that it should not be used when dark. Cyclists must also have a permit to cycle on the canal towpath and should follow the safety recommendations of British Waterways. Permits are free and easily available from British Waterways: http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/cycling/permit The map shows the signed cycle routes between the University and the city. The new cycle route is shown in pink.