Derbyshire County Council has blamed ‘cyclists riding on the wrong side of the road and family groups walking down the middle of the road’ for its controversial decision to extend the temporary closure of the A57 Snake Pass to cyclists and walkers.
The road was closed on 21 February following damage caused by storm Eunice and Franklin. The council said its inspectors found movement in three locations along a mile-long section of the road and a decision was made to close the road between Glossop and Ladybower Reservoir.
Update on the A57 #SnakePass cycling ban:
— Cycling UK (@WeAreCyclingUK) March 18, 2022
We're calling on Derbyshire County Council to publish evidence to justify their decision - if none exists, the road should be reopened to people #cycling and walking: https://t.co/S6mRn0n5xa pic.twitter.com/UXPQSaLOJk
The council initially only enforced the ban for motor vehicles, while providing an exception for essential local traffic.
However, on 8 March, it announced via Twitter that it would close the road to all users, except locals and their visitors, saying that ‘there will be an accident involving a vehicle and a cyclist because of the large numbers of cyclists that have taken the opportunity to go out and ride the road’.
Charity Cycling UK's head of campaigns, Duncan Dollimore, called on the council to publish its risk assessment justifying the ban, adding: ‘In the absence of a risk assessment, the council’s banning of people cycling and walking along a motor traffic-free stretch of road is baffling.
‘If the risk assessment shows there is no danger to walkers and cyclists in using the unaffected stretches of the Snake Pass, Cycling UK would urge Derbyshire County Council to rethink its position. Opening up a wonderful, if temporary asset, can only benefit the whole community’s wellbeing.’
From today we are closing the A57 Snake Pass to all users, including cyclists and walkers, apart from those who live there or their visitors, because of concerns over safety. The road now has barriers with someone monitoring it 24/7. pic.twitter.com/nujPYLuDgm
— Derbyshire CC (@Derbyshirecc) March 8, 2022
The council did not specifically address a request from Highways to disclose its risk assessment but said: ‘The weekend before last the sheer number of cyclists, many in very large groups, riding the A57 Snake Pass along with residents’ cars, road maintenance and farm vehicles meant it was simply not safe.
'As a result, we had to take the difficult decision to extend the closure of Snake Pass to cyclists and walkers in addition to the existing closure to vehicles, other than residents’ and highways maintenance vehicles.
‘We completely understand the attraction of the road to the cycling community and we did not take the decision to close lightly, but our duty to people’s safety has to come first. A minority of cyclists were riding on the wrong side of the road, and we had family groups walking down the middle of the road. We were very worried that a car would come around a corner and be faced with cyclists or people on the wrong side of the road.’
The spokesperson added: ‘As work to assess and mend this significant landslip carries on, we will continue to keep under review if any sections of the road are safe to open. It is a very complex operation because the landslip is still moving and we thank everyone for their ongoing patience.’
