This week I am unashamedly inviting you to get on a bicycle. Frome Town Council and Live to Ride have created the ‘Cycle September’ challenge. It’s completely free to take part and it doesn’t matter if you ride every day or if you haven’t been on a bike in years. Find out more at lovetoride.net/frome or email parkere@frometowncouncil.gov.uk
My own cycle challenge will involve riding about 1270 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats “The Longer Way” along the National Cycle Network. I’ll be raising money for Frome’s Missing Links – as a trustee and the current Chair of FML this is something close to my heart.
Frome’s Missing Links campaigns for better and safer walking and cycling routes in Frome and better connections to neighbouring towns and villages. Most people I talk to want to see the Colliers Way cycle path to Radstock completed with a traffic-free route into the centre of town. This cycle path, Sustrans’ route 24, ends at Great Elm, just 2.5 miles outside Frome.
FML are currently working with Network Rail and Sustrans to complete the section at Great Elm. We have also just agreed with landowners to extend the route out of Frome from Weylands as far as Jack’s Lane. Another exciting prospect is a Chapmanslade link, which has already been granted £70,000 by Wiltshire Council. These are complicated, long-term schemes, but they are worth pursuing.
For more details go to www.fromesmissinglinks.org.uk or visit my JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/richard-ackroyd4
Join me on the 2nd September at 9am from the Cheese and Grain. You can cycle with me as far as you wish – we’ll be taking the Colliers way to Bath and then the cycle path all the way to Bristol. It could be the start of your own Cycle September or just a nice bit of exercise.
