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Yes, HarBUG put in a bid for a new Campus to Wantage cycle route from a £5m Science Vale Cycle Infrastructure grant. The County Council have been working on the route but, as usual, landowner issues are the sticking point.
We should be able to give more information soon, come to the A.G.M. to find out more.

Cheers

Kevin W – HarBUG Chair.

The farm track across to Bury Lane from Upper Farm Road has no public rights of way. It is private land.
A HarBUG member did speak to the farmer about HarBUG cyclists using the track to avoid having to use the A34. He was happy for us to use the track, for cycling, but there was no formal agreement.
The farmer has had problems with illegal Hare coursing in the fields and does not want walkers and especially those with dogs on the track.
My guess is that with the new houses that have been built on Chilton Fields, residents have assumed that this track is a right of way and have been using it as such. The farmer is re-asserting his rights as landowner, he has also put up signs saying ‘Private Property, Keep Out’.
This is not a good result for HarBUG and we may need to speak to the farmer again to see if he is still willing to allow us to cycle across.

HarBUG did bring this to members attention when the Winnaway was re-opened.
On a post dated the 31st January we wrote:
“The path now allows you to cycle a lot faster, especially down the hill. Please slow down and be courteous to other users of the path when passing, give them a cheery thanks. Use your bell to let other users know you are there. As a cyclists you are obliged to give way to pedestrians and horses on Bridleways (although it is not a Bridleway we should act as though it is). For more information about passing horses, always tricky, see the following British Horse Society web page: http://www.bhs.org.uk/safety-and-accidents/common-incidents/cycles”