Seven more towpath time trials

THOUGH time trials on towpaths have been going on since last year, it is only recently that the cyclists realised they could use an app for their smartphones to accurately record their times, and so many more are now participating with time trials on the towpaths.

With it being human nature to be competitive, cyclists all over the waterway system are more and more using the upgraded towpaths to attempt to ever increase their performances, resulting in such towpaths being dangerous places to be, with average speeds of around 20mph meaning spurts must be much higher.

Raced along the towpath

Ralph Freeman, who first brought this alarming practice to our notice on the Kennet & Avon Canal, (Racing on towpaths at 'average' of 19mph) where a staggering 542 cyclists raced along the towpath between Bathampton and Bath in 1,102 attempts, has now discovered seven more such time trials using the upgraded towpaths.

The cyclists upload their times to the Strava website in America, that does not accept any responsibility for the competitors causing injury or even death to anyone outside its country, so anyone walking the towpath being injured or worse, can attempt to claim from the cyclist—who will be long gone, as they are neither compelled to have insurance or carry identification on their bikes, so unlikely to be traced.

Aware of the problem

As to claiming from the owners of the towpaths—Canal & River Trust, this could be a possibility as it is aware of the problem (Comment—no action on time trials) but told that it prefers to 'educate'.

The lengths of towpaths now regularly used as time trials by racing cyclists are as follows, and we can but advise anyone using these towpaths to take extra care, as a cyclists attempting to better his or her time will brook no interference.

Leeds & Liverpool Canal

Riddlesdon West through Keighley to Lodge Hill Bridge 194. 1,902 attempts by 797 riders.

Shropshire Union Canal

West of Chester from A41 Bridge 130 to Bridge 133. 984 attempts by 332 riders.

Kennet & Avon Canal

Another on the Kennet & Avon Canal, this time from Seend Cleeve to Semington, including passage past locks. 921 attempts by 613 riders.

Coventry Canal

Nuneaton to Marston Junction. 308 attempts by 113 riders.

Birmingham & Fazeley Canal

Curdworth to Curdworth Bottom Lock, including the flight. 274 attempts by 151 riders.

Worcester & Birmingham Canal

Alvechurch to near Hopwood. 142 attempts by 72 riders.

Trent & Mersey Canal

Taylor's Bridge near Little Leigh to Anderton Boat Lift. A fairly new route with 74 attempts by 33 riders.

Very dangerous places to be

With the warmer weather approaching and more and more cyclists taking interest in these time trials, we can expect a surge in activity, that will make those towpaths very dangerous places to be.

From the above statistics there is an average of around three attempts by each rider to better his or her speed, but of course those way below the front runners could perhaps soon give up after a single attempt, meaning that the faster ones will be making attempt after attempt, especially if rivals are doing the same.

Have no effect whatsoever

Really Canal & River Trust should be doing something about it, otherwise its precious visitor numbers will take a sharp decline as more and more walkers on the towpaths meet these speeding cyclists intent only on increasing their speeds, and realise the danger, especially for their children and animals.  Educating them, is really a non-starter, as the time trials are now firmly established, and a few notices thanking them for slowing down, when their only intention is bettering the speed of a rival, will have absolutely no effect whatsoever.