Updated: August 2025
August 2025 update: Some good news and bad news. The City Council have organised for some of the overgrown vegetation to be cut back (plus the grass has been cut).
The bad news is that there is no sign of the barrier being removed. In fact, the even worse news is that the previously rotting gatepost has been replaced by a completely new one (probably not a cheap job).
Previously the City Council have explained the lack of progress in various ways:
- questions about responsibility. After investigation this was confirmed as being Derby City Transport responsibility
- Possible need for support for the removal from local councillors. Councillor Hudson has provided this support
- possible lack of funds. Given that money was found for the post replacement, I would have thought that removal of the barriers and replacement with bollards would have incurred a similar cost.
The post replacement is doubly wasted money and effort in that the “sleeper” attached to the post is completely rotted and can be removed by a 2 year old child let alone any yobbo.
No work has been done on the unacceptable (and dangerous) surface.
Currently waiting to hear from the Council as to what other obstacles there are to removing this barrier.
After various recent projects on the National Cycle Network in and around Derby, only one location with A-frame barriers remains on the local NCN. There are other restrictions (e.g. sharp bends, pinch points, etc.) but none as restrictive (and impossible for some users) as A-frame barriers.
This location is by the Paddock Pub where the southern end of the Breadsall Greenway meets Mansfield Road (NCN 672).
Removing restrictions in the Paddock area would open up an 18 mile route that is almost all off road and with no very restrictive barriers. This would allow cycling from the northern end of the Breadsall Greenway (Lime Lane) to the end of the Cloud Trail (near to Worthington). The only on road sections are Old Mansfield Road (about 200 metres), Penalton Close (very quiet) and the bridge over the A50 near to Breedon (where the pavement could be used). See here for a map of the route.
Almost all of the original A-frames on the Breadsall Greenway were removed during 2024 by Derbyshire County Council Countryside Service with support from Sustrans. However, the Paddock location falls within the City Council boundary and, hence, wasn’t included in the removal plans.
Subsequently, DCG have been pressing Derby City Council to remove this one remaining barrier location on the NCN within Derby. Councillor Carmel Swan has been responsive and has asked the relevant Council officers to investigate further.
In April 2025, DCG accompanied the local Sustrans Network Planning manager (responsible for the national cycle network in Derby, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire). He was astonished at just how bad the maintenance by Derby City was (basically there had been none).
After 6 months, Derby City Council have confirmed that the removal of this barrier hasn’t been included in the 2025-2026 schedule of works.
Readers can assist in making progress by encouraging their elected representatives to address this restriction to wider use of the greenway.