There has been a push from locals and tourists to improve the cycling infrastructure on the High Hill road, connecting Portinscale and Keswick. This is a very important connection for commuters and tourists wanting to travel to Keswick from Portinscale and Braithwaite regions.

 

Jill Derham, a frequent visitor to the Lake District, also a mountain bike instructor said: “Places like Whinlatter for example, with great cycling networks, are very safe for people of all ages to get around on bikes. Young children can enjoy cycling and not have the constant worry of cars.” 

 

At the moment, the lane connecting Keswick to Portinscale involves a blind bend crossing of a forty mile-per-hour road. Unfortunately, this puts people off using their bikes to get between these areas.

 

Emma Moody, lead strategic advisor for recreational and sustainable transport said: “The main objective is to have safer, more enjoyable, and more convenient cycle routes in the National Park.” She mentioned: “you can really see how popular good infrastructure, like the new railway line, is. We need more like that: not only for environmental reasons, but for everyone’s health and well being.” 

 

Obesity is a growing problem in the UK. An independent study carried out by “Frontier-Economics,” estimates the yearly social cost of obesity in the UK at fifty-eight billion pounds.

 

Making cycling and walking a viable alternative to driving is a proven way to drastically reduce this issue. Children cycling to school is a healthy and environmentally friendly activity. However, cycle routes need to be safe, user friendly and clearly marked so everyone can enjoy them.