The National Byway

[Glow worm]

No I'd never heard of it either. And no it's not an encouragement to us all to be more sexually adventurous, but rather a 4000 mile network of quiet lanes promising 'an average car-count on the Byway route of 2 cars per mile while travelling at an average of 10mph'. There's a website here: National Byway

The website makes some big claims like ' when completed the Byway will contribute a reduction of 74,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions as well as saving £3m a year in damage to the environment from the 8 million journeys by an expected 3 million people' and yet all they seem to be doing is just shoving a few signposts up? I can't see the point as they seem to be just replicating what Sustrans are already trying to do (and charging for maps which are free on the Sustrans site). Maybe I'm missing something.

 

[Piemaster]

I've seen a couple of signs on roads around Hornsea and had wondered what the route was. Never have remembered to actually look it up though, or got round to following to see where they lead, so thanks for the reminder.

In the area the 'Byway' is a different route from the sustrans route (65 IIRC - disused train line to Hornsea). There does, unfortunately, seems to be some overlap with sustrans and one organisation covering what seems to be broadly similar aims would make more sense to me.

 

[Glow worm]

In the area the 'Byway' is a different route from the sustrans route (65 IIRC - disused train line to Hornsea). There does, unfortunately, seems to be some overlap with sustrans and one organisation covering what seems to be broadly similar aims would make more sense to me.

Yeah that's what I thought- seems a lot of overlap. The routes look equally circuitous as those of Sustrans (though I realise that they are designed more for liesure than haste) but if I were to cycle to say Dover from here (Cambs/ Suffolk border) on a Byway, I'd have to travel via Gloucestershire.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Some lanes near me are part of the National Byway. Very quiet and PictureSkew they are.
I'm afraid I much prefer OS Landranger maps for finding my own routes. Far more opportunities for nice routes if you use those correctly.

 

[rich p]

Didn't Frank Sinatra sing a song about it?

 

[ufkacbln]

The Hovis National Byway was an independent alternative to Sustran's National Cycle Network.

The routes were really a set of loops in a few popular areas.


Never really took off or fulfilled its promise.

I have done a couple of the routes, and they are fun with lots of interest.

 

[Glow worm]

Didn't Frank Sinatra sing a song about it?

 

[byegad]

I've come across some maps from the Byway people. Mostly circular rides IIRC. So maybe encouraging drive to ride rather than pure riding.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Aha, the national byway that does not exist in SE England. Given that London and the SE usually think they are England this is quite a refreshing change.

 

[snorri]

Didn't Frank Sinatra sing a song about it?

I suspect you are suffering from cabin fever, it's time you got yourself away for a cycletour.

 

[I like Skol]

The name's a little confusing, because a fingerpost-type sign (in red lettering) that says "Byway" refers to a BOAT (Byway Open to All Traffic) - which is a track like a bridleway that motor vehicles are entitled to use. The 4x4 brigade love to drive along them (as if they didn't have enough roads to use) and mess up the surface for other users.

Ooohh... That's a very anti' statement and part of the problem with countryside access. I know this is going almost completely off-topic but this kind of attitude is why everyone thinks the cyclists hate the 4x4ers (amongst others), horse riders hate the cyclists and the ramblers hate everyone. I drive a 4x4 for fun either on privately hired land or on public roads, surfaced or unsurfaced. I am allowed to do this and in most cases these unsurfaced routes have carried wheeled traffic long before the cycle was even invented. I try to get along with all users even if they are not as pleasant to me in which case I assume it is because they are either illinformed or selfish.

Getting back to the original post, it is nice of them to publish a list of pleasant and quiet lanes where I can take my 4x4 to get away from it all. Maybe Newt shouldn't be riding on roads when he can be using bridleways (there are enough of them!)