LancsCycleSam
@cyclesam.uk
Pinned
LancsCycleSam
@cyclesam.uk
· Nov 15
A short introduction post
Formerly known as MCRCycleSam I post about all things walking, cycling, and urbanism. Over the years I've been campaigning for infrastructure to help people get around actively
I named the "Sparrow" crossing, always fun to see the name popping up elsewhere in the country!
Formerly known as MCRCycleSam I post about all things walking, cycling, and urbanism. Over the years I've been campaigning for infrastructure to help people get around actively
I named the "Sparrow" crossing, always fun to see the name popping up elsewhere in the country!
My local Lidl removed some well-used cycle stands earlier in the year for an InPost locker. It took me complaining to Lidl who initially did nothing, and then the planning department, but as of today they've finally brought one back in a new, better, location: next to the entrance, on the frontage.
January 11, 2026 at 3:35 PM
My local Lidl removed some well-used cycle stands earlier in the year for an InPost locker. It took me complaining to Lidl who initially did nothing, and then the planning department, but as of today they've finally brought one back in a new, better, location: next to the entrance, on the frontage.
Snowy evening in Lancashire
January 4, 2026 at 9:22 PM
Snowy evening in Lancashire
Always impressed by Lancs County Council's extensive gritting network and the gritter comes past every night that is forecast around freezing without fail. They also provide a lot of grit bins for residents to tackle footways and other areas. Always worth giving credit where stuff is done well!
January 3, 2026 at 6:55 PM
Always impressed by Lancs County Council's extensive gritting network and the gritter comes past every night that is forecast around freezing without fail. They also provide a lot of grit bins for residents to tackle footways and other areas. Always worth giving credit where stuff is done well!
I love parkrun - however as usual I was the sole cyclist at the bike parking while the car parks were full to the brim! It does feel like it generates quite a lot of car journeys. I assume a good number do run/walk there though and is hard to see how many.
January 1, 2026 at 4:16 PM
I love parkrun - however as usual I was the sole cyclist at the bike parking while the car parks were full to the brim! It does feel like it generates quite a lot of car journeys. I assume a good number do run/walk there though and is hard to see how many.
So much wrong with this story. It's an e-motorbike not an e-bike. The standard police method of lifting the rear wheel and giving it full throttle then reading the built in speedo and claiming it can do 100mph when with a person and wind resistance its probably closer to 30-40mph.
December 27, 2025 at 11:47 AM
So much wrong with this story. It's an e-motorbike not an e-bike. The standard police method of lifting the rear wheel and giving it full throttle then reading the built in speedo and claiming it can do 100mph when with a person and wind resistance its probably closer to 30-40mph.
The East Lancashire railway line is running services every 2 hours on Sundays now, and a large percentage of those appear to get cancelled or run late. I just don't know how you're meant to rely on a rail service with such a joke of a timetable.
December 21, 2025 at 10:43 PM
The East Lancashire railway line is running services every 2 hours on Sundays now, and a large percentage of those appear to get cancelled or run late. I just don't know how you're meant to rely on a rail service with such a joke of a timetable.
Anyone familiar with cycling Chorley Road between Chorley and Pleasington?
Looks like I can skip some of it using a quiet lane through Wheelton but after that I'm back on the main road from Higher Wheelton and across the M65 at Jct3 - is this section going to be particularly hairy?
Looks like I can skip some of it using a quiet lane through Wheelton but after that I'm back on the main road from Higher Wheelton and across the M65 at Jct3 - is this section going to be particularly hairy?
December 20, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Anyone familiar with cycling Chorley Road between Chorley and Pleasington?
Looks like I can skip some of it using a quiet lane through Wheelton but after that I'm back on the main road from Higher Wheelton and across the M65 at Jct3 - is this section going to be particularly hairy?
Looks like I can skip some of it using a quiet lane through Wheelton but after that I'm back on the main road from Higher Wheelton and across the M65 at Jct3 - is this section going to be particularly hairy?
A little known feature of the Starling Bikes in Manchester (and Beryl elsewhere) is that you can unlock them simply by texting the bike ID to their number.
Great feature for those with dumbphones or simply resent having to have an app for every single service.
Great feature for those with dumbphones or simply resent having to have an app for every single service.
December 20, 2025 at 2:13 PM
A little known feature of the Starling Bikes in Manchester (and Beryl elsewhere) is that you can unlock them simply by texting the bike ID to their number.
Great feature for those with dumbphones or simply resent having to have an app for every single service.
Great feature for those with dumbphones or simply resent having to have an app for every single service.
Nelson High Street many years apart.
Hard to believe there were ever 4 lanes running straight through it and the public realm is much better although the current scenario of a mixture of through traffic and people trying to parallel park is still a little problematic.
Hard to believe there were ever 4 lanes running straight through it and the public realm is much better although the current scenario of a mixture of through traffic and people trying to parallel park is still a little problematic.
December 20, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Nelson High Street many years apart.
Hard to believe there were ever 4 lanes running straight through it and the public realm is much better although the current scenario of a mixture of through traffic and people trying to parallel park is still a little problematic.
Hard to believe there were ever 4 lanes running straight through it and the public realm is much better although the current scenario of a mixture of through traffic and people trying to parallel park is still a little problematic.
Reposted by LancsCycleSam
All of these skills built up on the project will be scattered to the winds because we have cancelled a chunk of the project and we're not building any more high speed rail.
Engineers working on the HS2 project have slid a 4,600t viaduct section across the M6 without a full carriageway closure, in what contractors say is a UK first that will reduce disruption for drivers
Full story:
Full story:
HS2 completes final slide of 4,600t viaduct across M6 without closing motorway | New Civil Engineer
The 17‑hour operation carried out over the weekend of 13-14 December completed the three‑stage assembly and installation of the 315m long East deck of the
buff.ly
December 20, 2025 at 11:59 AM
All of these skills built up on the project will be scattered to the winds because we have cancelled a chunk of the project and we're not building any more high speed rail.
Reposted by LancsCycleSam
We have today submitted our formal support for the Peel Green Active Travel Scheme.
We are encouraging all our followers to submit their own support (see following post), as drivers are objecting to this scheme based on it adding a mere 70 seconds to their morning drive.
We are encouraging all our followers to submit their own support (see following post), as drivers are objecting to this scheme based on it adding a mere 70 seconds to their morning drive.
December 19, 2025 at 4:36 PM
We have today submitted our formal support for the Peel Green Active Travel Scheme.
We are encouraging all our followers to submit their own support (see following post), as drivers are objecting to this scheme based on it adding a mere 70 seconds to their morning drive.
We are encouraging all our followers to submit their own support (see following post), as drivers are objecting to this scheme based on it adding a mere 70 seconds to their morning drive.
Reposted by LancsCycleSam
Been a while since I sketched one of these.
What Whitewalls Roundabout, Colne could look like as a Dutch Style roundabout giving priority and safety to people walking and cycling.
What Whitewalls Roundabout, Colne could look like as a Dutch Style roundabout giving priority and safety to people walking and cycling.
December 19, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Been a while since I sketched one of these.
What Whitewalls Roundabout, Colne could look like as a Dutch Style roundabout giving priority and safety to people walking and cycling.
What Whitewalls Roundabout, Colne could look like as a Dutch Style roundabout giving priority and safety to people walking and cycling.
Been a while since I sketched one of these.
What Whitewalls Roundabout, Colne could look like as a Dutch Style roundabout giving priority and safety to people walking and cycling.
What Whitewalls Roundabout, Colne could look like as a Dutch Style roundabout giving priority and safety to people walking and cycling.
December 19, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Been a while since I sketched one of these.
What Whitewalls Roundabout, Colne could look like as a Dutch Style roundabout giving priority and safety to people walking and cycling.
What Whitewalls Roundabout, Colne could look like as a Dutch Style roundabout giving priority and safety to people walking and cycling.
Cycle tracks in Nelson coming along. Some of the details aren't quite there and there are a fair few gaps in protection/segregation from pedestrians but generally the road space has been reallocated and that's what matters.
December 18, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Cycle tracks in Nelson coming along. Some of the details aren't quite there and there are a fair few gaps in protection/segregation from pedestrians but generally the road space has been reallocated and that's what matters.
Driver inattentiveness likely played a big part here but these killer junctions all need replacing with something safer
therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/02/voor...
therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/02/voor...
December 15, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Driver inattentiveness likely played a big part here but these killer junctions all need replacing with something safer
therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/02/voor...
therantyhighwayman.blogspot.com/2021/02/voor...
East Londoners, I understand some of the stratford greenway is closed currently - is Google Maps giving the most up to date closures and diversions from the greenway to CS2? Is it signposted and easy to follow?
Or should I just sack it off and just use CS3 as I usually would?
Or should I just sack it off and just use CS3 as I usually would?
December 10, 2025 at 10:19 PM
East Londoners, I understand some of the stratford greenway is closed currently - is Google Maps giving the most up to date closures and diversions from the greenway to CS2? Is it signposted and easy to follow?
Or should I just sack it off and just use CS3 as I usually would?
Or should I just sack it off and just use CS3 as I usually would?
Lancashire remains on a Level 2.
As far as I can tell the County Council propose some good schemes and then the local councils have a lot of say whether they go ahead or not.Some great stuff going ahead in Preston and Nelson, decent stuff for Burnley, & everything good for Colne has been cancelled.
As far as I can tell the County Council propose some good schemes and then the local councils have a lot of say whether they go ahead or not.Some great stuff going ahead in Preston and Nelson, decent stuff for Burnley, & everything good for Colne has been cancelled.
Local Authority #ActiveTravel capacity ratings 2025 are out today. Good that @greatermcr.bsky.social has retained a Level 3 rating, but a combined rating gives the less engaged GM councils a cloak to hide behind - we need individual ratings for 2026 @ategov.bsky.social
Local authority active travel capability ratings
Ratings of local authorities' capability to create cycling and walking schemes.
www.gov.uk
December 10, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Lancashire remains on a Level 2.
As far as I can tell the County Council propose some good schemes and then the local councils have a lot of say whether they go ahead or not.Some great stuff going ahead in Preston and Nelson, decent stuff for Burnley, & everything good for Colne has been cancelled.
As far as I can tell the County Council propose some good schemes and then the local councils have a lot of say whether they go ahead or not.Some great stuff going ahead in Preston and Nelson, decent stuff for Burnley, & everything good for Colne has been cancelled.
Going to go against the grain here and say it looks pretty good. Its replacing some nicer liveries but its replacing a lot of worse ones too. Will be nice to have the trains more uniformly branded, although I guess Merseyrail and Bee Network etc will have their own?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Branding and logo for Great British Railways unveiled
The new red, white and blue branding mirrors the colours of the Union Flag, and will start to appear from next year.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 9, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Going to go against the grain here and say it looks pretty good. Its replacing some nicer liveries but its replacing a lot of worse ones too. Will be nice to have the trains more uniformly branded, although I guess Merseyrail and Bee Network etc will have their own?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
A week's shopping, for two, easily fits in the back of my cargo bike. Pushed it a little bit this week though!
December 8, 2025 at 10:29 PM
A week's shopping, for two, easily fits in the back of my cargo bike. Pushed it a little bit this week though!
Reposted by LancsCycleSam
The 2025 Walk Ride GM Awards celebrated council, local volunteer and community efforts to progress active travel across Greater Manchester.
December 7, 2025 at 2:28 PM
The 2025 Walk Ride GM Awards celebrated council, local volunteer and community efforts to progress active travel across Greater Manchester.
I was in Manchester yesterday and caught a very pleasant and punctual train there and then pedaled about the city with no delays.
Driving into the city during Christmas Market season is absolutely mental.
Even if you have no direct train service, use the many park and rides.
Driving into the city during Christmas Market season is absolutely mental.
Even if you have no direct train service, use the many park and rides.
December 3, 2025 at 10:57 AM
I was in Manchester yesterday and caught a very pleasant and punctual train there and then pedaled about the city with no delays.
Driving into the city during Christmas Market season is absolutely mental.
Even if you have no direct train service, use the many park and rides.
Driving into the city during Christmas Market season is absolutely mental.
Even if you have no direct train service, use the many park and rides.
Reposted by LancsCycleSam
Loved riding along the brand new Chapel Street cycle track in Salford today. Lovely public realm, sustainable drainage, nice smooth cycle tracks, continuous footways across side roads, and Greater Manchester's first "cycle gate" junction.
December 2, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Loved riding along the brand new Chapel Street cycle track in Salford today. Lovely public realm, sustainable drainage, nice smooth cycle tracks, continuous footways across side roads, and Greater Manchester's first "cycle gate" junction.
Loved riding along the brand new Chapel Street cycle track in Salford today. Lovely public realm, sustainable drainage, nice smooth cycle tracks, continuous footways across side roads, and Greater Manchester's first "cycle gate" junction.
December 2, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Loved riding along the brand new Chapel Street cycle track in Salford today. Lovely public realm, sustainable drainage, nice smooth cycle tracks, continuous footways across side roads, and Greater Manchester's first "cycle gate" junction.
Reposted by LancsCycleSam
Deeply chuffed to have won People's Active Travel Champion at the 2025 Walk Ride GM Awards.
Thank you to everyone who voted for me!
Thank you to everyone who voted for me!
December 2, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Deeply chuffed to have won People's Active Travel Champion at the 2025 Walk Ride GM Awards.
Thank you to everyone who voted for me!
Thank you to everyone who voted for me!