The PCyC (Plymouth Cycling Campaign) has been working for more than 12 years to make Plymouth a cycle friendly city and get more people cycling. To help achieve this we liaise with bodies such as Sustrans and Cycling UK. We are consultees to Plymouth City Council (PCC), which means we are invited to respond to plans which may have an impact on cycling. We also meet with high level PCC planners and councillors on a quarterly basis when views are exchanged and developments discussed.

Below are some of the current projects we are campaigning on:

Efford to Marsh Mills Path

Proposal to bring the path leading from the junction of Pike Road and Military Road downhill through the tunnel to Willow Close in Crabtree up to current standards of cycling and walking. The path should be named the Brian Vincent pathway in memory of Councillor Brian Vincent who supported the establishment of the path.

Please see links to letters and plans below.

Letter to Councillors et al

Efford Pathway Map

Efford Pathway Document

• Elburton road on road cycle lanes. Parking in the cycle lane on Elburton Road has long been an issue. PCC presented a set of plans, with little prior notice, which we considered made a poor situation more dangerous for people who cycle . PCyC have been able, with some strong and detailed arguments regarding design and the safety of people on bikes, to persuade PCC to substantially alter original proposals. The result is still not ideal, but we are pleased to report that almost all of our objections and modifications were taken into account and will be implemented.
• Saltram to Colesdown Hill. Whereas PCyC welcomes this path as an essential next step in the ongoing improvements towards Elburton and beyond, we have made strong representations to PCC regarding the current plans to use steps to terminate the link between Encombe Street (Saltram Meadow) and Colesdown Hill, which involves steps and steep slopes. We have worked with Endeavour Community Cycle Club, whose members are mainly less able veterans, who, along with ebike users (too heavy), the elderly, people with prams, wheelchair users, will simply be unable to use this path, but unsuccessfully. PCC’s response is always that this is a stopgap measure which is part of a longer term strategy to continue the path, but funding is in place for the contentious section which would be lost if the work is not completed within the agreed time frame. So watch this space!
• Elburton Link. For 30 years, local people who cycle and Sustrans have attempted to negotiate a viable all-weather route from Elburton roundabout to the existing cycle path into Otter Nurseries near Brixton.3  Three options are now on the table. PCyC have looked at these on the ground and support Option 3 although landowner issues (as so often) mean nothing is certain and the plans are not in the public domain. We can say any new route would, in our opinion, only be viable if it left the unsurfaced but mainly level existing path near the southern end of Portway Close and proceeded across a field to join a yet to be built section of cycle path on the A379 a couple of hundred metres south east of Elburton Roundabout.
• Ferries Campaign. Passenger ferries in Plymouth and most others in our region are inaccessible to many potential users. Riders of adapted cycles, recumbents, cycle trailers and heavier e-bikes, as well as users of wheel chairs and mobility scooters cannot lift these into the boats currently in use on most ferry routes. PCyC has raised this issue with Plymouth CC, the Ferry operators, local MPs and councillors.

The ferry operators are not to blame as their contracts only oblige them to carry passengers. Cycles, wheelchairs etc are carried at their discretion and we recognise the practical and cost issues of boarding from unsuitable slipways in all tidal and weather conditions, but stress that all new vessels should be accessible to all.

• Roborough Down path between Yelverton and Roborough. In spite of a packed public meeting at Clearbrook which we initiated and at which support for a path parallel to and on the east side of the A386 received almost unanimous support (as well as over 1800 supporting on our Facebook poll with a handful against) a new proposal has been presented which PCyC regard as unworkable. We are working to persuade DCC to ‘re-think’.. https://plymouthcyclingcampaign.co.uk/a386-yelverton-roborough/https://plymouthcyclingcampaign.co.uk/a386-yelverton-roborough/
• PCyC members have undertaken detailed surveys of signage, danger spots and surface issues on the Crabtree – Efford Pathway – Military Road routes to Efford Cemetery plus the Manadon-Derriford cycle route.
  We have submitted proposals to Plymouth CC and are still waiting for a response.
• We continue to remind the Council at every opportunity of the many other issues that people who cycle in Plymouth have to put up with e.g. the so-called Embankment shared path; the long awaited completion of the route from the George down to Plymbridge; improvements along the route between the dockyard and the centre via Millbridge; lack of cycle parking in the Barbican; the pedestrianisation of Southside Street; extension of the 20 mph zones to ALL residential streets (as so many other cities have now done), etc etc…..
• We wish we could do more but as we’re all volunteers there is a limit. If you’d like to help and especially if there’s a particular skill you have, or something that you really wish was better, or just want to improve things for adults and children who cycle , then drop an email to info@plymouthcyclingcampaign.co.uk and let us know your thoughts.