District gears up to be the region’s ‘green capital’ with new cycleways

ONE OF Yorkshire’s largest districts has set out its stall to become the region’s “green capital” on the post-pandemic tourism landscape.

Officials in Ryedale, which straddles the North York Moors National Park and the Howardian Hills, say the area is ideally placed to capitalise upon Government plans to build more cycleways, paths and other environmentally friendly transport schemes.

Earlier this month, the Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, earmarked £225m to create “popup” and permanent cycle lanes across England to encourage people to use bikes instead of public transport where possible.

Helen Gundry, of the Ryedale Cycle Forum, in Kirkbymoorside, a champion for green tourism and transport projects, said the district was perfectly suited for more cycleways – including a long-mooted plan to develop a route between Pickering and Malton.

“We have seen large numbers of cyclists on the district’s roads in the pandemic and it shows what opportunities there are to encourage more people to get involved on quiet routes which can be created to combat the dangers which cyclists can face on our busy roads,” she said.

Ms Gundry, who is also active in the Kirkbymoorside Environment Group, urged councillors to support plans for another cycle route between Hovingham and Malton.

“We want to encourage more children to cycle to school and people in general to use cycles to go shopping and to get to work,” she said.

Her aim was to see the creation of “shovel ready” schemes and encourage the use of electric bikes to support both the health and environmental agendas, she added.

She also called for car-free routes through the National Park, which could be used by those in wheelchairs and buggies and by parents with pushchairs.

“Multi-use routes would be a great asset to Ryedale residents and visitors and help the local economy,” Ms Gundry said.

Cycle shops in the district have reported increased sales as more people have taken advantage of the area’s quiet roads during the lockdown.

James Mason, chief executive of the tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “It is more than ever important that we work together to support a safe and sustainable future for tourism.

“Our aim is to retain, support and recover Yorkshire’s tourism business which is now worth £9bn to the county’s economy, and employs almost 225,000 people.”

Meanwhile, a fundraising campaign has been launched to support Moors Bus, the volunteer-run service which operates throughout parts of Ryedale, and which has seen passenger numbers plummet during the quarantine.

Multi-use routes would be a great asset to residents and visitors.

Helen Gundry, of the Ryedale Cycle Forum, in Kirkbymoorside.