“It’s difficult to understand”: Campaigners criticise Peak District ‘renaming’ deal with Skoda as road signs replaced; Councillors hail 20mph limit lifting as “nobody kept to 20 and it was never enforced” + more on the live blog

Honestly, when we first covered this announcement last week, we reacted with some confusion. How can a company rename a national park? Don’t we all somewhat own the national parks through our government?

A quick Wikipedia check finds that unfortunately not, and that all the government can do is decide whether to create a national park and then offload all responsibility for it to a separate authority, one which does receive some government funding but is free to sign agreements with whoever it wishes…

> “Stop tinkering with pleasantries”: Reform councillor tells council to swap Peak District cycling and walking routes for major railway investment

We also, what with some images appearing somewhat computer-generated, thought it was a bit of a gimmick, we didn’t actually expect signs renaming the country’s oldest national park to pop up on the roadside. Alas…

 

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A post shared by Phil Cross (@pc8)

As a reminder, the campaign marks the launch of the Skoda Peaq, a seven-seater 2.5 tonnes SUV that’s the largest car in the Czech manufacturer’s range.

Eric Boutin, director of Skoda UK, says the new electric car “fits perfectly with the ethos of the Peak District National Park.

“We’re passionate about encouraging more people to get outdoors and experience these incredible protected spaces. Cycling has always been part of Škoda’s DNA – after all, the brand started life on two wheels – and that heritage still shapes how we think about mobility today.”

Skoda have also covered the cost of cycle hire from the Parsley Hay Cycle Centre for the week, providing you use their discount code.

Phil Mulligan, chief executive of the Peak District National Park, said that the “reasonable amount” Skoda paid “greatly helps the authority to deliver important work.” He added that the partnership aligned with the park’s values on active travel.

“Unfortunately, it is not free to deliver such public goods, they have to be paid for.” he told the BBC.

“With our government grant continuing to be cut in real terms every year and only covering about a quarter of our operating costs, we need income from a range of sources to continue to be able to deliver critical services for the nation.”

The signs will be up until Sunday, though that’s not enough for some campaigners…

“If national parks are prepared to sell their very name to the highest bidder, then we’re already on the path to industrial extraction of the most protected landscapes.” Tom Laws told Auntie.

“The Dark Peak’s internationally important peatlands have been burning for weeks, releasing stored carbon into the atmosphere.” Harry Brook (not that one) added.

“As these landscapes continue to smoulder, it is difficult to understand why the national park authority has chosen to partner with a company whose core business relies on fossil fuel transport.”

Having lived and studied in Cardiff, when this tweet came up on my feed I couldn’t help but share it further.

Wales’ imposition of 20mph ‘default’ speed limits in 2023 was met with controversy from drivers annoyed at the prospect of going slower, and even from cycle race organisers.

However, the benefits of 20mph speak for themselves…

> Cyclist casualties down 28% and 900 fewer road injuries since 20mph limit introduced in Wales

Still, for the Conservative councillor in my old ward of Llandaff in Cardiff, the default ban has annoyed him enough to get the ban lifted on the dual carriageway running through the north of the City.

In my own experience, the road has so frequently been packed during morning and evening rush hours it’s difficult to imagine cars travelling much faster than 20mph anyway.

Still, after months of hard work, the councillor’s lobbying has paid off…

Others will try & claim credit.

After years of campaigning to get this section of A48 Western Ave changed from 20mph to 30mph. The day has finally arrived.

Temp traffic lights, overnight ripping up 20mph markings.

Sorry for the traffic delays. @caerau10 @TedPeskettNews pic.twitter.com/qFlpouhqTe

— Sean Driscoll (@Sean4Llandaff) July 28, 2026

When congratulated on his achievement by fellow Conservative councillor Calum Davies, Driscoll replied that “20mph on this section of Western Ave with dual carriageway, was inappropriate. Almost nobody kept to 20, and it was never enforced.”

It’s not quite clear why it was inappropriate considering junctions at either end and sets of traffic lights regularly halted traffic anyway.

Using Driscoll’s logic, it also appears that you don’t need to follow a law if you agree with a load of other people not to follow it. Yet something tells me if cyclists so much as dared to move into the middle of the lane and kept to 20mph there might have been hell to pay.

But road tax…

> “I’m winning races, and I believe you’ve got to be as clean and transparent as you possibly can”: Victor Bosoni on how he won the Tour Divide… and THAT Traka controversy