Skelton Grange Steps

[Venod]

This is a copy of a post from Wakefield District Cycling Forum, if you ride the canal between Rothwell and Leeds you will know what an obstacle these steps are, impossible to use for three wheelers or disabled and unless your fit enough hard work to carry the bike up and down especially an electric one.
Its long overdue a solution.

"Hello I wanted to update everyone on progress with the Skelton Grange road bridge steps campaign in Leeds.The steps on the trans- Pennine Trail and Sustrans route 67 are a major cycle route between Wakefield and Leeds. Sustrans and Leeds City Council are holding a workshop for key stakeholders including The Trans-pennine Trail, Canals and Rivers Trust, Leeds City Council, WY Combined Authority and Leeds Cycling Campaign on 18th October. This will determine the options for providing a fully accessible alternative to the Skelton Grange steps to consult on. Sustrans will then develop- in consultation with stakeholders - a concept design by December 2021, followed by the submission of a pre- planning advice application by the end of January 2022.
Look out for Information on how you can have your say on the possible options following the workshop.Thanks to everyone at Wakefield District Cycle Forum for your continuing support for the campaign. I will keep you posted on progress."

 

[DRM]

Not before time, those steps are bl**dy awful, I believe the main stumbling block is they're privately owned.

 

[Oldhippy]

I very much like the whole Sustrans ethos and ethics but some of the routes are horrid and amount to little more than getting permission to to stick up a sign (which then gets nicked or defaced). Some of the routes are ridiculously circuitous as well.

 

[DCLane]

Apparently they can't do anything until they work out who owns Skelton Grange bridge: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c75eqw7g5yro

If it's yours, please let them know ...

 

[Jameshow]

Why not crowd fun a couple of tonne bags of ballast?

 

[Venod]

Apparently they can't do anything until they work out who owns Skelton Grange bridge: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c75eqw7

This is not the bridge mentioned in my original post, there are new steps on the bridge I mentioned, a big improvement on the old concrete ones, but still not user friendly for 3 wheelers, pushchairs disabled etc, the Skelton Grange bridge in the BBC piece is further down stream, no steps but as mentioned some steep approaches.

 

[kynikos]

Latest is:

Harworth Estates and developers have submitted proposals to Leeds planners to provide a level access cycle path from Skelton Grange Road Bridge to rejoin National Cycle Network route 67 (Trans Penine Trail; TPT) near Skelton Lakes. The path thereby avoids the notorious steps and provides an alternative route through the new commercial development on the North Bank of the River Aire. The link at the south-east end will be provided by Leeds City Council using Section 106 money. The steps will remain open, of course, but once the new route is in place, it is proposed that it will be signed as a step free alternative, giving users, depending on their circumstances, the options of the short-cut down the steps or the longer route avoding them.

Map:
Trans Pennine Trail is yellow.
Single head blue arrow is location of steps
Proposed steps free route is dotted light blue, then dotted green then purple/orange/purple
Bridge in BBC report is at double headed blue arrow

The second bridge has two ramps up from the towpath, one on either side. Personally, I always use the one on the west side, whichever way I'm going, as it's both smoother and less steep than the one on the east (the one depicted in the report). That's not to say they couldn't be improved.

We did try the purple route in the summer but the M1 underpasses (already in situ) are blocked.

These are the new steps - a considerable improvement on the old ones:

 

[kynikos]

I tried that way a couple or three years ago but failed (2 metre fences and locked gate with no security guard) - and it's a long way to retrace your steps!

 

[Dadam]

Thanks @kynikos I was confused. I'm only aware of the big bridge with the new concrete steps as in the photo in your post. I was there at the end of Feb. I've not seen the other bridge apart from going under it on the towpath.

Even the new steps are a pain and the ramp the other side is worse. It looks ok in this pic from 2022

but it's now almost entirely mud and leads up to a muddy verge, where you have to cross the road, stepping over the armco at each side to access it. Presumably you're supposed to go further to the right following your yellow line where there may allegedly be an official crossing at some point in the future?

I've not tried it but google maps looks like the official route is intended to under this bridge then looping back round and up a ramp? Blue line on the map below. Red line for the aforementioned muddy ramp. Both end in the concrete steps of course.

 

[Venod]

The blue route is the one to use now, I think the steps are now metal with channels each side for bike use, still no wheelchair access as yet, but @kynikos post above looks promising.

 

[kynikos]

Yes, red route is closed and the blue route (along the road and then looping back) is now metalled and a smooth, easy gradient (at least it was this morning when I road it!).

 

[Dadam]

"Closed". Well it's a strange definition of the word they're using then, with zero signage. I guess they're dropping some pretty heavy hints by blocking it off with armco but some kind of clue where you're supposed to go instead would be nice. Because when you're at the fork in the first photo I posted, the route under the bridge and round looks to peter out.