As a recently retired local Councillor, I’ve got an abundance of opinions on active travel in Hertford.
I’ve spent many an afternoon in a dimly- lit Council office, in various meetings, trying to plan advantageous projects for cyclists, and these best best laid plans were no easy feat, as they needed to acknowledge pedestrians and motorists, and residents’ safety, too.
Hertford, as an area, has always been a challenge- our road layout, whilst whimsically wonderful, and historically interesting as it is, gives great difficulty to catering for cyclists’ interests, and I’ve always been cautious about the mayhem of mixing cyclists and pedestrians, although, we’ve done well thus far.
As always in life, the current infrastructure relies a lot on the thoughtfulness of others, and of course, common courtesy.
Hertford’s cyclists are blessed, as they can find quiet routes to ride, and seek solitude from the bustling town centre. I have met many a variety of rider, along the way, all whom agree, that the journeys we make, should be made cheaply, safely, and securely. There are still several quiet streets, like West Street and the runoff from Ware Road, and there are shared cycle and pedestrian wider paths, for example, beside Gascoyne Way, and the tow path to Ware, but we do need more. We cannot promote active travel enough to the future generations.
Anyway, my cycling journey.
I am 80 years old. 80. Gone, for a few years now, is the sense of shame in getting off in a bluster, and pushing my bike up Gallows or Port Hill, and on a bad day- Pegs Lane.
My everyday bike is heavy- I’ve had it for way over 60 years and use it a lot, to this day, although, apart from the odd sponsored pedal power event, it rarely travels further than Ware, nowadays.
Now that I’m in my golden years, I’ve become more of a fair-weather rider, partly because of age, but also because I enjoy my free bus pass, and my motorbike.
My heavy old Raleigh and I have been an unwavering duo for a long time now, and have many a tale to tell, which I won’t recount all of in one go.
I spotted my two-wheeled companion through the window of Fred Wackett’s Emporium, in St Andrew Street, and excitedly purchased it with the hard earned money from backbreaking newspaper deliveries, and it was initially for my school journey, all those years ago.
Back then, with my youthful, schoolboy energy, there was no getting off and pushing up the long hill. I would hurry up the drive to Richard Hale (Hertford Grammar School at the time) and then, to the front steps, from Castle Street. There, as a prefect, I was allowed the prestige of parking it against the wall, which was a coveted, if odd, benefit.
Those were the great years of Youth Hostelling, during which my Raleigh accompanied me to the south coast, for Isle of Wight hostels, to Weymouth and Portland.
Sometimes, we booked a guard’s van journey on the train, to the north of England, and biked around the hills, where I have many happy memories. The bike was with me for three years at College in King’s Road, Chelsea, and it had its own central London life, long before Boris Bikes. I wheeled the Raleigh along one night back to Chelsea, from Maida Vale, where I was on teaching practice, in the smog, which was so dense, that I had to get the headmaster to help me find it, after school.
I remember standing by the kerb under a traffic light pole. Underneath it, I could see green lights, but the red ones were out of sight, above in the denser smog. It became apparent that conditions were so bad in the city, that the conductors were walking ahead of the buses at that part of the journey to Chelsea, to show drivers the way.
A couple of years ago, I used the train, to travel from Hertford North to Hitchin, and then plodded home gently. That was really the last longer ride I have taken, but chiefly, I don’t feel too saddened. I want more people to be able to safely go about short local everyday journeys by bike, and to do so because they want to. I want them to appreciate the ease, the cheapness, the quickness, and the enjoyment of cycling.
Might I also add, for those on the fence, there is as an additional bonus to cycling, if you’re on your bike and you see an overly chatty friend on the pavement, you can offer a cheery greeting, then keep pedalling, fast.
Just kidding.
Peter Ruffles (and his trusted Raleigh)
Ready to start your cycling journey? Visit: www.highwaycycles.co.uk
