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Cyclists put spoke in wheel of bypasss

19/ 9/2007

PROTESTORS got on their bikes during the rush hour to campaign against the controversial Mottram - Tintwistle bypass.

They set off from Glossop railway station to cycle to Tintwistle at Friday teatime on a four-mile route organised by the Road Alert Glossop group.

The stunt was intended to highlight the fact that bikes and people should be catered for on roads, not just cars and traffic, and raise awareness of Swallows Wood, which is threatened by the proposed 3.5-mile bypass.

"It went really well," said organiser Jonathan Atkinson.

"We got about 20 people out. One guy brought a sound system on a little trailer with him! We had people from Glossop Cycling club and people from Stalybridge and Manchester as well.

"There was a five year old on the back of a bike and the oldest person there was in his 70s I'd say."

Cars beeped their horns in support of the cyclists and the campaigners ended their wheeled protest with a well-deserved drink at Tintwistle's Bulls Head pub.

Jonathan added: "We had a police escort, as well, which really helped us.

"There was an article in the Guardian saying more money should be spent on cycle lanes to save the government thousands in health care and congestion costs, so we really do need to do something."

The public inquiry into the bypass was set to resume yesterday (Wednesday) after it was dramatically halted when the Highways Agency admitted it had got its figures wrong.

For more information on the group you can visit http://www.myspace.com/ roadalert

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