Thank you for your email regarding CTC’s Space for Cycling campaign.

Below is a rather long explanation of what we, as your councillors are doing to support cycling in the town. I hope it does not bore you but I always believe in taking the time to respond to residents in a thoughtful, open and honest manner.

I guess we need to first recognise that Otley is not a ‘modern’ town and somewhat constrained by its Victorian road network. This continues to be a challenge for all in the town.

The reason for stating this is that everyone likes a ‘big scheme’, I myself love the idea of interconnected cycle paths and routes, separated from the road, diverging from Otley in all directions, ‘up hill and down dale’ as they say but in reality this will be a slow and long process.

I have therefore, along with my colleagues Cllr’s Ryk Downes and Colin Campbell taken a more pragmatic and I believe more achievable approach based on ‘nudge theory’. As you probably know this involves changing peoples behaviour by making small, almost indiscernible changes.

Below are a few examples of that theory, along with the two ‘big schemes’ currently being ‘fleshed’ out for the town.

Extending 20mph Zones across Otley & Yeadon, which as you know Cllr Campbell has campaigned for for a long time; long before it was fashionable, with his colleagues Cllr Downes and my predecessor former councillor Alderman Graham Kirkland.

As you will have seen all residential streets south of the river, including your street in Otley are now 20mph. This work continues to expand and accelerate with zones planned for Rufford Park and Coppicewoods areas in Yeadon and for all of the residential streets east of Newall Carr Road north of the river in Otley. In Otley this will leave just the area north of the river and west of Newall Carr Road (the Weston estate) without a 20 zone. We continue to push Leeds for that scheme to be brought forward and I am confident that one day soon we will have all areas of the town, whether north, south, east or west with 20 mph zones. Then we can truly call ourselves ’20 Town’ to coin Cllr Campbell’s dream!

Moving on, we continue to work with others to promote Otley as the regions cycling hub supporting through grants and ‘political’ leverage the promotion of Otley Cycle Race and it’s Cycle Club, the ‘Sportive’ and the Tour de France, which all three councillors lobbied for to come through the town – it should be made clear that this was never a ‘given’, remember the Olympic torch relay as it ‘winged its way’ round the town, that could have been the TdF!

My colleague Cllr Downes is currently supporting and advising the Olympic legacy ‘Otley Chevin Park’ project (more on that further down) and I am currently working with Joseph Cullen to access premises for him to commence his ‘cycle recycling’ enterprise. This group will be providing bikes to those unable to access their own through financial hardship. This is very likely to happen soon and we hope in time for the TdF.

With regard to slowing down traffic through the town and therefore reducing pollution, whilst making it a little safer for pedestrians and cyclists we have campaigned for, supported and where necessary funded improved crossings. Examples include the current upgrade on Cross Green, the crossing outside PHGS on Farnley Lane and the soon to be zebra crossings on Newall Carr Rd and Burras Lane, kindly funded through large part by my colleague Cllr Downes.

These crossings will assist in connecting parts of the town together so that it might just be possible for a child to cycle to school safely. There is still work to be done though and we continue to explore ways of creating a safe crossing at the Manor Garth and Tittybottle parks (near the former Dunnies cafe) but as yet a suitable, safe solution has not been found.

We campaigned for and supported the reduction in speed limit on Bradford Road to 30mph and we continue to ask the police to monitor speeds on Pool Road, Newall Carr Road and other roads are and when we are alerted by residents.

I hope these plethora of small schemes help create the impression that Otley and it’s city councillors continue to do all that we can to support cycling in the town. But we will not stop there and as Cllr Campbell has already stated, with regard to housing development in the town, we continue to have red lines. Large schemes are to build cycle schemes into their design. Garnett’s Mill, East of Otley (should it come), Ashfield Works, the care home on the bridge will all have cycle paths, routes or crossings to support not just cyclists but pedestrians as well.

As stated earlier a little more on the two ‘big schemes’ currently being ‘fleshed out’ and ‘worked up’ for Otley.

The Olympic Chevin Park is an ambitious project which is being driven by a committed team hoping to raise £5,000,000 to create a cycling, athletic and general sporting hub. Cllr Downes I believe is a member of that committee and is fully involved in seeking both funding streams and providing ‘political’ will. The other big scheme is the ‘Wharfedale Greenway’ Cycleway. This scheme is purported to cost £4,000,000 and will link the communities from Pool to Ilkley, maybe Skipton and Cllr Campbell and I, as Otley Town Councillors are working with the council to see what we can do to support this scheme. I believe that through funding from Otley Town Council, other parish councils and Sustrans that the £10,000 needed for a feasibility study has been obtained.

Finally, a word of caution though, I am in no doubt that during a period of austerity and with Otley seen as a relatively affluent area raising these sums of money will not be easy. All three councillors however remain committed to supporting, advising and promoting these schemes but in the meantime we will continue to ‘nudge’ our community, Leeds and the region in the direction of recognising Otley as a ‘cycling super town’ as it is good for the town and it’s environment, its business’s and tourism and for the health and wellbeing of its residents.

I hope that answers your question but should you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.

Many thanks & regards

Sandy

Cllr Sandy Lay

Otley & Yeadon – Leeds City Council
and
Otley Town Councillor – Danefield Ward