Around 50-60 cyclists, including children, cycle hire users and cargo bike riders, enjoyed the traffic-free climb — one participant reported the “workers at the barrier were really nice and friendly”
An estimated 60-strong group of cyclists took part in Saturday’s Snake Pass protest, dubbed the Snake Trespass.
After the A57, one of the area’s busiest roads, connecting Manchester and Sheffield via Glossop, was shut for urgent maintenance due to landslides caused by storms Eunice and Franklin, the scenic Peak District climb was described as a cyclists’ paradise.
Despite calls from FDJ-Groupama pro rider Jake Stewart to reconsider the ‘Trespass’, a group of around 50-60 riders amassed in Glossop before riding the route to the top, unchallenged by workers.
Amongst the group were families, a cargo bike rider, and a cyclist using a Beryl hire bike. Walkers were also spotted enjoying the empty roads and scenic views.
On Friday, national cycling charity Cycling UK appeared set to challenge the council’s decision to close the road to cyclists and walkers, before saying the route is not closed to cyclists:
Cycling UK is writing to Derbyshire County Council regarding the reasons for closing parts of the A57 Snake Pass to cyclists. Pending their response, there has however been confusion regarding which stretch of the pass cyclists are unable to access.
For clarity, the emergency temporary road closure made on 22 February, which lasts until 22 March, only permits closure on the section of the map attached. There is however an alternative off-road route connecting the two farms and bypassing the stretch of the road subject to the closure order.
Cyclists are not banned from the entirety of the Snake Pass and can bridge the gap over the closed section of road if they are willing and able to take an off-road diversion.
Snake Pass map (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
Great ride up #snakepass with about 50 or 60 others. Lovely blue sky and some sunshine. The workers at the barrier were really nice and friendly pic.twitter.com/1XSNilrKxW
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Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.
Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he’s not working you’ll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he’ll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he’s a bit strange like that.
11 Comments
11 thoughts on “Snake Pass protest: Cyclists reclaim car-free route”
There were some pictures on
There were some pictures on Twitter of someone in cycling kit, claiming to be of Jake Stewart and stating he’d been pushed off his bike and had some messy cuts and grazes.
Anyone else seen it? Assuming genuine, is this before or his call for us all to be nice to drivers?
Looks like folk have had a nice afternoon out in the Snake today. We should do it more often.
Yes, this happened yesterday in New Mills, right where I live. We’re gathering CCTV evidence – we know the number plate and car model, but there’s no footage of the actual assault yet.
Jake has tweeted about it asking for any footage to be sent to him.
The “closed” section is just after the Shirebrook roundabout in Glossop to just before the turnoff to Derwent Valley. The actual road damage is in the really scenic bit where the road runs closest to the Snake River.
"Driving an SUV in the UK should require a C1 category driving license."
At the end of the day, this is all about safety/risk.
I agree with the idea and would welcome a view from the motor insurance industry.
If the risk andor claims costs of KSIs/property damage is much higher for drivers of larger vehicles, should those increased premiums/renewals be shared amongst only those drivers?
Or, as is currently, all drivers including those of us who only drive smaller vehicles?
As a cyclist on the road, I'm not paying "extra" insurance for damage caused by drivers.
As a driver, I am.
Councillor Ed Hill demonstrates perfectly how inexperienced and badly trained are Reform and ex-Reform councillors. Anybody informed on the subject would have ensured that their diatribe contained at least one example of 'I'm a cyclist myself, but......'
You're allowed to look at the cycle lane before and as you turn. Which is what this driver did, except he then also stopped and waited for a cyclist to appear in order to make this 'point'.
PS if you have to stop, then turning your head to look is another option. You can also lean forwards in your seat AND turn your head. Take this person's driving licence away please.
@mitsky Prevention is better than cure. i wouldnt want wait until they kill someone before action is taken.
And many people driving never even had to sit a theory test. So are we to take a driving test taken decades ago as enough to assume they understand many new rules that have been brought in in the mean time?
When I was in the army , I had to sit a theory test once a year to keep my ability to drive military vehicles in date. I see why this shouldnt be replicated for all drivers. Standards have dropped sharply in recent years. And if it helps make roads safer and also educate many about things like priorities for vulnerable road users there is only positives to take away. any push back is , i assume, more to do with ego. Why should I have to resit a test periodically if Ive never had an incident? Personally Id rather not wait to find out. I would rather know if youre behind the wheel of a car you know exactly that the rules are cos you're up to date via a theory test.
I would also suggest that if anyone fails their theory so badly or repeatedly they should have their license reviewed and a possible loss of license until a full test is passed. I know many will say, they will continue to drive without a license. I believe in the cases where this is true, they would do so even if banned after an incident anyway. At least this way we are attempting to educate and raise standards of all road users not just the very worst.
@Smoggysteve
Andor if there is evidence of a driver using the vehicle in a way that would fail a test (ie dangerous fault) then they should lose their licence rather than just recieve points and a fine.
If a dangerous fault on a test is enough to prevent someone gaining a full licence, Shirley that same fault should be enough to lose it.
11 thoughts on “Snake Pass protest: Cyclists reclaim car-free route”
There were some pictures on
There were some pictures on Twitter of someone in cycling kit, claiming to be of Jake Stewart and stating he’d been pushed off his bike and had some messy cuts and grazes.
Anyone else seen it? Assuming genuine, is this before or his call for us all to be nice to drivers?
Looks like folk have had a nice afternoon out in the Snake today. We should do it more often.
Yes, this happened yesterday
Yes, this happened yesterday in New Mills, right where I live. We’re gathering CCTV evidence – we know the number plate and car model, but there’s no footage of the actual assault yet.
Jake has tweeted about it asking for any footage to be sent to him.
Quote:
Is that a typo, or are people really calling it that (with two double ‘s’es)?
Cos that doesn’t really work, does it?
Yess, it doess! ?
Yess, it doess! ?
(I’m guessing that emoji might look a bit wrong for some.)
I think if you were going for
I think if you were going for that it ought to be two triple ‘s’eses though.
I see it’s been amended now, so it looks like it was just a fat finger moment anyway.
Maybe the title should be
Maybe the title should be changed to clarify that the road isn’t closed (with a short detour)?
Could anyone provide a link
Could anyone provide a link to the map of the emergency road closure?
The “closed” section is just
The “closed” section is just after the Shirebrook roundabout in Glossop to just before the turnoff to Derwent Valley. The actual road damage is in the really scenic bit where the road runs closest to the Snake River.
https://mobile.twitter.com
https://mobile.twitter.com/WeAreCyclingUK/status/1502321385934401543
Thank you!
Thank you!
Well done, Trespassers!
Well done, Trespassers!