CTC Backs New Llandudno Cycling Group

News Update: Feb. 2012: Conwy Cabinet have decided to allow unrestricted cycling on Llandudno promenade for a trial period of one year. See News Snippet.

Llandudno North Shore - What the brochures don't show you - the cycling gauntlet

Llandudno is rapidly approaching peak time traffic saturation due to recent town centre retail development. With far fewer cyclists than you would expect to see in such a beautiful location, it is pleasing to hear of a local group of residents determined to change things in the face of climate change, obesity and other major threats in the years to come.

The Llandudno Safe Cycling Group (LSSG) has already proved its credentials by successfully lobbying against plans by the Llandudno Promenade Consultative Group to impose instant fines on cyclists found riding on the North Shore Promenade. Recently more prominent signs have been erected prohibiting cycling, reflecting the wave of prejudice against cycling since the local authority launched its ill-prepared National Cycle Route Public Consultation a couple of years ago. Prior to that, enforcement of the prom byelaw was low key.

The overall aim of the LLSG is to draw attention to the urgent need to provide a town environment to meet the challenges of the years to come. This is the group's campaigning message:-

1. Children in our primary schools are given excellent instruction on how to ride their bicycles safely through the county cycling proficiency scheme. However, it is rare to see children cycling on any road, and rather more common to see them on pavements where they feel safe. Children know that cycling on pavements is illegal and against their cycling proficiency instruction, but what alternative do they have?

2. Childhood obesity is on the increase and is already a serious problem. Diet and lack of exercise are the main causes. Having encouraged children to cycle safely by cycling proficiency instruction, we must providing safe cycling to encourage exercise.

3. It is important to build healthy habits whilst children are in school and we believe that encouraging teenagers to get into the habit of using bicycles for journeys to/from school, and also for leisure, would help to lay down the foundation for a healthier lifestyle. This would help alleviate the growing problem of adult obesity.

4. There is scope for the development of a new tourist clientele in the shape of families looking to incorporate cycling into their holidays. At present the town’s tourist trade relies heavily on elderly visitors. Providing better facilities for outdoor pursuits, such as safe cycling, would complement the excellent Alpine Centre in Happy Valley and attract more families.

5. Each year a significant number of people retire to Llandudno because it is largely on level ground and so good for walking and cycling. Consequently, there is now a large constituency of retirees. Outdoor exercise improves overall health, and therefore a policy of pro-active preventative health care for retirees should include provision for safe cycling.

Our aim is to provide an effective means for concerned local citizens to be consulted, and to co-operate with the town and county councils to assist them to meet their duty of care in this context.

Our objective is to work together with councils, with our Assembly Member, with schools and with cycling organisations in order to plan and bring into being as soon as possible a joined-up network of cycle tracks throughout the town.

This network will connect residential areas and focus points such as schools, shops, places of historical and cultural interest, swimming baths, library, churches, beaches and so on, and link up with the existing North Wales coastal cycling route. Such a network will help reduce traffic congestion in the town, improve road safety, bring more visitors, make Llandudno more eco-friendly, but above all provide a safe environment for children to enjoy cycling.

This group deserves every support. To contact the Llandudno Safe Cycling Group Click gogarth007@yahoo.co.uk

NB Below we show the contrast between the conditions cyclists are expected to endure on Llandudno's North Shore Parade, and those in the next county where promenade cycling has become very popular between Prestatyn and Rhyl - without any problems.

Son in electric buggy accompanied by mother on bike on cycleway at Rhyl

Mother and disabled son pause

Quality time for mother and son

Two ladies on bikes loaded with shopping

Ladies returning from a five mile shopping trip to Kinmel Bay.

Cycling visitors with a 'good feel' message to return home with.