National Cycle Network

From Free net encyclopedia

Image:Bristol bath path 08.jpg

The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom. Some routes hope to minimise contact with motor traffic, though 70% of them are on roads. In some cases the NCN uses pedestrian routes, disused railways, minor roads, canal towpaths, or traffic-calmed routes in towns and cities. The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans (Sustainable Transport), and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. The original goal was to create 2,500 miles of signed cycle routes by 2000, with 50% of this not being on roads and all of it being "suitable for an unsupervised twelve year old." By mid 2000 5,000 miles of route were signposted to an "interim" standard, and a new goal was then set to double that to 10,000 miles by 2005. August 2005 saw the declared completion of those 10,000 miles.

National Cycle Network routes beginning with numbers 1-6 are generally in England, those beginning with 7 start in the far north of England and Scotland. Those beginning with 8 are generally in Wales, and 9 in Northern Ireland. The main routes have one digit (1-6 radiate clockwise from the south of England). Other NCN routes have two digits, starting with the number of the relevant main route.

There are also many regional routes, reaching smaller towns and cities within ten designated regions. Each region is divided into a maximum of 9 areas. Regional route numbers comprise the area number 1-9, followed by another digit. (An exception is in the Scottish Borders council area, where the regional routes are numbered 1-9.) This means that across the UK there could be 10 regional route 12s, for instance, as well as the national route 12. To reduce confusion, identically numbered areas in adjacent regions do not abut, and so routes with the same number are widely separated.

The network is signposted using a white bicycle symbol on a blue background, with a white route number in an inset box but no destination names or distances given. National Route numbers have a red background, Regional Route numbers have a blue background. The system is based on that used by the Danish Cycle Network.

The main national routes are:

The other national routes are:

(Sections planned or under development are shown in brackets.)

Other parts of the network include:

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
[edit]

See also


[edit]

Further reading

  • Sustrans, 2002. The Official Guide To The National Cycle Network, 2nd ed. Italy: Canile & Turin. ISBN 1901389359.
[edit]

External links

Websites covering parts of the Celtic Trail route 47 and the Taff Trail route 8

Retrieved from "http://www.netipedia.com/index.php/National_Cycle_Network"