Whilst we have been looking to make cycling possible for disabled people, we are ever conscious of the potential issues that they may face in terms of poor paths in our area. We recently took delivery of our VanRaam EasyRider Compact e-trike and provided it for use by the amazing people from Botton Village for their fundraiser. This served to highlight some of the big problems with the little infrastructure that we do have, and prompted the following letter. This was sent to NYC Parks, leader of NYC, CEO of NYC, Y&NY Mayor, and the Y&NY Active Travel Commissioner.
Background
The sole infrastructure for cycling in Whitby district is 11 miles of former railway line, the Cinder Track. There is nothing else. Not even painted lines on roads. A recent fund-raising bicycle ride from Scarborough to Whitby highlighted to us the inequality between the 11 miles in Scarborough district and what we have in Whitby district – proportional to the funding that has been utilised on the different parts of that track.
In July 2025, following raising issues with Cinder Track maintenance we met with the head of North Yorkshire Council (NYC) Parks Department for a ride of a section of the track. We highlighted the issues that people are facing and what was needed to get the track to an acceptable state for the majority. Amongst these issues we raised the section between Hawsker and Bottoms Lane, being very narrow in places, badly rutted, with non-
functioning drainage that results in any rainfall eroding the surface even more. All previous NYC maintenance had been a case of dump some gravel down, and wait for it to wash down the track; hard to fathom! We were assured in a subsequent meeting that NYC would be doing a harsh cutback of vegetation during the winter followed by sorting out the drainage, resulting in a surface that could then be evened out. None of this has happened.
Viability for Adaptive Bikes
We started an adaptive bike hire facility within our charity in mid 2025 because we believe that everyone should be able to ride a bike irrespective of disability. In fact we recently obtained funding from the York & North Yorkshire Mayoral “Movement Activity and Sport” Fund to purchase our second adaptive bike. In hiring out a bike we have to do a risk assessment for where we would want the bike to be used.
This weekend we had the first opportunity to see this new adaptive bike in use on the Cinder Track. The bike overturned twice on the section that we highlighted more than a year ago. This was nothing to do with the bike and its capabilities. It was totally down to the rutted nature of the track – the only requirement for these bikes is an even track – we don’t currently have one. Fortunately the lady using the bike, who had previously had both hips replaced, was ok, but it means that we will not be advising anybody using our adaptive bike hire facility to go beyond Hawsker until NYC addresses the many issues that have been highlighted previously. Additionally on the Hawsker – Robin Hood’s Bay section we had gorse strewn across the track over a long distance. This will only lead to punctures and dissatisfied users of the track. Why such a cut back occurred in June/July?, and why the detritus was left on the track? is for NYC to answer.
The end result is that there is only a 3 mile section between Hawsker and Whitby where the surface is suitable for disabled people to safely use. This will impact on the very viability of an adaptive bike facility, and would be representative of a council not fulfilling its obligations to make “reasonable adjustment” for the less able-bodied.
We have a satisfaction survey sent to all customers of our adaptive hire facility. Every one thus far has rated the track infrastructure as 1 out of 5 currently. We will not be holding back such reviews “in the hope of something being improved one day”. Platitudes don’t cut it now. There is a great opportunity there to do some real good for disadvantaged people, and the reviews would undoubtedly improve if we had some positive action.
Overall Cinder Track state
A reminder that the Cinder Track is part of National Cycle Network (NCN) route 1. One would think this ought to be symbolic of the UK infrastructure. Whilst the adaptive bikes that we possess originate from Holland, the infrastructure borrows nothing from the quality that the Dutch possess. Sections between Ravenscar and Hawsker are frankly an embarrassment. Never mind the fact that NCN1 has a 20 mile gap in it from Whitby
northwards where there is no safe, compliant way of continuing your journey.
The areas requiring urgent action
- To make the Hawsker to Robin Hood’s Bay section usable, the Hawsker to Bottoms Lane section needs urgent work, firstly fix the vegetation and drainage, and then replace the surface with compacted gravel.
- The section just north of the Brickworks is appalling, and that is for people on standard bikes, never mind adaptive. Rocks jutting out of the surface is unacceptable for a leisure route.
- The Middlewood Farm area frequently goes under water, due to non-existent drainage. Yes, we haven’t had a lot of rain of late, but then neither has NYC tackled this long-standing problem that will only reoccur.
- The Middlewood Farm gates are a barrier to disabled people. Even on an adaptive bike or mobility scooter they would be impossible to navigate – reason being the gates are spring loaded and so a disabled person alights, gets the gate but cannot then get their mobility device through before it has closed.
Achieving those and we would potentially be able to make use of adaptive bikes all of the way to Ravenscar – a boon for the less able-bodied. Ignoring them and you condemn disabled people to having something that they cannot participate in.
Add to all of that vegetation management, which can only be described as sporadic. Significant parts of the Cinder Track surface between Whitby and Hawsker is overgrown – disappointing given that the surface was only put down in 2021. We can do better.
We would like to hear a response from NYC, preferably with timescales, when these issues will be addressed.
We are happy to invite Cllr Les, Mayor Skaith, and their officers to try out an adaptive bike on the Hawsker to Robin Hood’s Bay section (after signing a liability disclaimer!) so they can start to appreciate how things are currently for disabled people.
Whitby & Esk Valley Active Travel
