The B4044 road from Dean Court, Botley, Oxford to Eynsham has been in need of an off road path for as long as I've lived in the area - ie the last 28 years. I took our three children along it. It was scary then. And you never see anyone walking along it. The more so today. Not content with the well rehearsed reasons for a path - health, lower emissions, less congestion, improved safety, more people cycling to work, OCC have told us that they've no money, we'll have to wait for the next "cycling ambition grant" from the Government. They also say we have to produce a "business case". A new requirement from the OCC, but very proper.
At Bike Safe we never thought it would be easy to get the path built. And that's proving to be correct. But with the really dedicated and responsive team we have at Bike Safe, people who understand the issues and know what to do in areas like IT (vital), presentation, publicity, pathway design and experience we are at least getting on with what needs to be done.
I re-started cycling when I joined Bike Safe by doing the obvious things like getting to the meetings by bike, cycling into Oxford or to Witney. And was surprised at how easy it is to do even at age 67. Needs a little PMA and, along the B4044, confidence in my position on the road, and that drivers of vehicles will see my hi-viz get up. For the record I wouldn't be seen dead in Lycra. I'm not that kind of cyclist, nor are all the people, walkers and cyclists alike, who would use the path when it's been built.
We have designed the path. We know where it will run. We have made a pre-planning application which showed we were on the right track but that there were some more surveys (of trees) to do. To do that and build the business case we need approx £20000. Your sponsorship gift will help hugely.
