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Wednesday 1 April 2015

Sustrans News

Music for the Masses
The recent initiative by Sustrans and Derby City Council to site a brightly painted piano for public use in one of Normanton's streets has proved popular with residents who live out of earshot of the thing, and so the scheme is to be extended across the city under the banner of  "Music While You Walk".
As well as pianos, there will be piccolos tied to lamp posts (with chord?), and kettle drums at bus stops.
Following suggestions by local bus passengers, drivers of Trent Barton buses are to be given singing lessons, and there will be a series of lunchtime symphony concerts in the gents toilet at the bus station. Entry by pre-booked ticket only as seating accommodation is limited.
Cycle Tunnels
Increasing levels of motorised traffic have resulted in greater danger for cyclists and the City Council are proposing to install a network of tunnels for cyclists beneath the streets of Derby.
The first of these is the conversion of a existing tunnel which currently carries Markeaton Brook in a series of culverts to it's confluence with the River Derwent at Basses Wreck. The cycle path will be constructed on wooden planks with the waters of the brook flowing beneath, and solar powered LED lighting will be installed.  A longer cycle tunnel will  run all the way from the Home for the Bewildered in Etwall to the entrance of the Treacle Mine at Spondon.

Honour for Sustrans Ranger
Sixty nine year old Sustrans Ranger Hamish McPukes (74) goes through to the final of the International Ranger of the Year Competition next week where he is up against Ranger George Clooney of Hollywood USA.
Mr. McPukes, until recently a professional ice hockey player, and now a self employed personal trainer/style consultant, was interviewed on Radio Derby yesterday.
Asked what he thought of his chances of taking the title, he replied "Pardon?"
"Puksey" as he is known to his many friends, is seen here about to leave on a regular training run to John O' Grottys.










Bilingual Signing
Following a directive by the European Commissioners, all signing on cycle paths is to be in at least two languages by 2017 and the preferred languages are English and German, but there are exceptions.
Dual language signing has been used in Wales for many years now and so successful has it been that there is a countywide shortage of "L"s and a surplus of vowels.



Here is a typical direction sign in South Wales.










                                    And here a typical cycle path sign in North Wales.
         Note that larger and heavier signs will require much stronger posts to support them.




Or alternatively, three or more signs will be required where previously there was only one.











Over in the East of England , the alternative language is Polish, this being for the benefit of an influx of East European tractor drivers.















For the East Midlands, where German is likely be much in evidence, it will be useful for us to be aware of the most useful German words and phrases.
Fahrrad - Bicycle
Fahrradstrasse - Cycle Path
Einfahrt - Entrance
Radfahrer absteigen - Cyclists Dismount
Verboten - Forbidden
Keine mofas - No Mopeds
Landwertschaftlicher Verkehr Fre - Agricultural Vehicles Allowed

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Prima Aprilis / Aprilscherz / Poisson d'avril / pesce d'aprile

Martin said...

I see the National Trust are taking more of an interest in connecting urban wildlife spaces. Mackworth Brook would be a good place to start!