From the canal towpath to the Bay Gateway
Over-optimistic as ever, Dynamo had assumed that the short spurs that connect the new Bay Gateway shared-use path to existing routes were still to be properly surfaced. Not necessarily with silky-smooth tarmac, but neither quite so gravelly. Easy to cycle up with normal tyres (or manoeuvre a pushchair or wheelchair). So we checked with the County Council.
No.
The gravelly surface is here to stay. Below is the County’s response:
The type of surfacing for the ‘spurs’ from the shared use cycleway/footway was decided on for a variety of reasons (speed limiting, durability, water runoff etc.) and for a variety of users (pedestrians, riders etc.).
In the location as shown, it was felt that a ‘black topped’ connection would encourage some cyclists to leave or enter the canal towpath at inappropriate speeds. The level of surfacing provided is consistent with a rural environment and is identical to the connections provided from Hammerton Hall Lane to the towpath to the south of the link road or Folly Lane to the north.
Lancaster Dynamo Cycle Campaign 
‘Inappropriate speed’ looks very likely, to judge by the photo. Anyone going to volunteer to wobble off and sue them?
Perhaps the Gateway/A6 roundabout should have been gravelled to encourage drivers to approach at appropriate speeds and not go straight through it! Or perhaps it’s all about price.
More seriously at a leisurely pace appropriate to the width of the towpath I find the surface just acceptable for my skinny Road tyres. Those spurs use a larger gauge gravel in parts that pushed me to dismount and walk in places, I concluded that it was only designed for hybrid mtb use. Which is a shame as such a small link is reducing overall usage.
As a black top is probably never going to be implemented a finer grade of hardcore topping would be a fair compromise.
This is yet another example of Lancashire’s obsession with making paths unfriendly for cyclists. It is totally short sighted as like the Glasson Trail it will discourage utility cyclists while encouraging race and chase mountain and BMX stunt riding with spectacular skids. There was an opportunity to tarmac the Glasson with “Remade” funding but Lancashire chose to use that black grit. The result is that now parts of it are a sea of mud while other parts are so overgrown with nettles and brambles it is hard to get past another bike or pedestrian. It certainly won’t encourage anyone who attempts the Bay Cycleway NCN 700 to return to holiday in Lancashire.
On the subject of the NCN 700 what idiot decided to send it over the top of Warton Crag and also to divert the Lancashire Cycleway NCN 90 over Warton Crag instead of using its established route along the far better graded New Road which is the nearest road to the Bay?