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news
Snake Pass via Derbhyshire County Council Snake Pass now “belongs to cyclists” as Peak District climb closed to motorists for at least a month
One of the country’s most scenic cycle routes, the Snake Pass in Derbyshire’s Peak District, has been closed to motor traffic due to landslides caused earlier this month by Storm Eunice and Storm Franklin, but not to people on bikes – leading author Simon Warren, of 100 Climbs fame and who lives close by to proclaim that the road now “belongs to cyclists.”
Writing on Twitter, he said: “The Snake Pass is closed to traffic, will be for ages. Went over to Glossop and back this morning. Bloody awesome. It now belongs to cyclists. Get out there before it opens again.”
The Snake Pass is closed to traffic, will be for ages. Went over to Glossop and back this morning. Bloody awesome. It now belongs to cyclists. Get out there before it opens again. pic.twitter.com/CSGn8G6xak
— Simon Warren (@100Climbs) February 25, 2022
Bike riders are still allowed to use the route, which lies within the Peak District National Park, was devised by the engineer Thomas Telford and opened as a toll road in 1821.
It carries the A57 between Sheffield and Manchester, although the Woodhead Pass further north is now the main route between the two cities.
The road will be closed to motor vehicles for at least a month because of the landslides, which have affected three locations on a mile-long section of the road between Glossop and Ladybower Reservoir.
Warren wasn’t the only rider out this weekend enjoying the unaccustomed serenity on a road that is popular with drivers and motor cyclists, as much for its winding hairpins as for its scenery, with one rider who works in urban planning describing the closure as the “best LTN ever.”
Snake Pass closed. 😍. Best.LTN.ever. Bit of a headwind and didn’t have time to drop down to ladybower. But will be back pretty much every week until it opens I reckon. 🚵 holy grail. pic.twitter.com/YRR0Dn2hW9
— Peter O'Hare (@peterohir) February 27, 2022
Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal, said: “I know this will be a huge inconvenience to everyone who uses the A57 regularly.
“However, with the ground underneath the road surface expected to continue to move, in the interests of everyone’s safety we simply cannot allow traffic to use the road.
“This is an evolving situation but please be assured we will continue to monitor the situation closely.
“Once the land movement has stopped we will assess what needs doing to repair the sections of road. However, once in a position to do this it will be a complicated piece of work.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their patience as we deal with the aftermath of this unprecedented weather which has affected not only Derbyshire but much of the country,” he added
The council said that it is not known how long it will take for the ground to stabilise, which will allow more thorough assessments to be conducted.
It has also confirmed that local access is being maintained for residents, and that motorists are being asked to follow the diversion route running via the A57, A6013, A6187, B6049, A623, A6, A6015, A624 and then back on to the A57.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
- Hirsute 2 hours 41 min ago
Radar tells me their closing speed, if they are slowing and how far away. Then I decide to say a prayer. The change of light pattern is incidental.
- lonpfrb 3 hours 1 min ago
Quite so, which is why our village 20mph zone covers the whole residential extent. Of course, enforcement is another thing..
- lonpfrb 3 hours 27 min ago
No, that's very doubtful while proper testing would be fully destructive.
- TheBillder 4 hours 13 min ago
In that £1000 exactly scenario, beginners should probably be made aware that pedals will be extra.
- don simon fbpe 4 hours 41 min ago
What's wrong with dropping down on to the Millenium Bridge, or the swing bridge, then the brief, but satisfying climb back up the hill? #training....
- chrisonabike 5 hours 22 min ago
The relatives might of course disagree, but in general I'd countenance a relatively light sentence* if only we could fix it so that those who...
- ktache 6 hours 1 min ago
Id forgotten that I got a second hand set of project two's for my getting to work bike over twenty years back.
- Veganpotter 6 hours 58 min ago
My bet is that all these tires popping off are from people with bad pressure gauges or they're simply just putting too much air in on purpose. ...
- chrisonabike 8 hours 14 min ago
David9694 - you were right! These new autonomous vehicles really are conspiring to run out of control!...
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20 comments
Anyone fancy a Danny Macaskill / road racing crossover?
https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/early-theories-why-wiltshire-roa...
Centralia crit? (Smoking footage here).
Well, that's a made-for-TV horror film waiting to happen...
Sadly I feel it may be more lethal now.
If you've a suitable machine there's been an "accidental LTN" at (or indeed under) Mam Tor for quite some time:
https://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/visiting/miles-without-stiles/mam-tor-landslip
Ha! That's nothing compared to Rest and Be Thankful being shut along with the curveball of the Old Military Highway being shut.
I used to drive 45fters over Woodhead laden with sectional steel from Scunthorpe to Manchester as it was quicker than going around on the M62.
Had to stop in the bus stop by the post office a few times due to trailer brakes being a *tad* warm. Had nothing to do with the rather excellent bakery next to the post office; it was pure coincidence....
Would love to be in the area now, just to ride that decent down the hairpins in to the village.
Personally I prefer it the other way - I think the downhill to Glossop can get rather sporting at speed but the run towards Sheffield has a much shallower gradient after the initial snake pass with the sharp right handed at the bottom - but better descenders than me may choose to differ!
'ROAD CLOSED AHEAD' is one of my favourite signs.
Unless I know it well, I always have that nagging worry that I'm going to find that the reason it is closed makes it impassable for bikes too, and I'll have to retrace my steps.
Pah! Isn't a cleat basically a giant mono-point crampon? Allez - à pied!
I think that's happened to me once or twice and fortunately there are usually easy alternatives where I ride. If it's local, you might know the closure reason too - if it's where they're building a new bypass with monster machines I might pay heed. But 9/10 times it just means 'No traffic, just slow down around any works which are probably unattended anyway'.
Not my typical example, and certainly not local - but my best ever road closure was the Passio di Stelvio... I mean, Snake Pass is good but...
Came up to a road closure a while back. Was figuring my detour when a works vehicle pulled up. Driver asked where I was heading and told me to ignore the signs as a bike would get by the actual works further up the road with no problems. Another occasion when I ignored the sign elsewhere I had to turn back after three miles as there was pretty much a chasm ahead.
Until it really is closed of course
There's going to be a lot of embarrassed faces in the roads engineering department when our resident troll contacts them to explain how road damage from cycles exceeds that of cars and trucks due to the smaller contact patch of 2 skinny tyres.
Yes, it would be churlish not to make the most of this temporary LTN! I had better do some research on the best angle of attack, etc.
If they are as efficient as Lancashire County Council it won't be closed for a month, more like 6-10 months. We had a small footbridge on a shared path removed by Lancashire CC because flood water from the River Ribble undermined the foundations. They are just putting the new bridge in, two and a half years since they removed the old bridge.
“However, with the ground underneath the road surface expected to continue to move, in the interests of everyone’s safety we simply cannot allow traffic to use the road."
Except cyclists who are expendable and a nuisance.
I know I've put a bit of timber on but I don't weigh between 1 and 20 tonnes so think I'll be safe.
A few people I know did this over the weekend, I can't wait to try it out. Good to know local traffic may still be about, thank you for the update