A CELEBRATION will be held this week to mark improvements to a popular walking and cycling route.

Walking, wheeling and cycling charity Sustrans will hold the event in Cleckheaton to mark improvements to the Spen Valley Greenway, which are due to be complete by the end of the month.

The free event on May 31 includes free led rides by Streetbikes on the smoother path surface, a chance to try an e-bike, or make your own pedal-powered smoothies.

The Police will also be carrying out bike marking to register bikes on the national database.

Sustrans is the UK charity which created the National Cycle Network, and owns and maintains the Spen Valley Greenway.

Sustrans worked with Bradford and Kirklees Councils to upgrade access and surfacing on a 2.5 mile section of the popular off-road path, between Victoria Park in Oakenshaw and Whitechapel Road in Cleckheaton.

Work has included improving access at Laithe Hall Avenue and Green Lane to help people with wheelchairs, pushchairs, and adapted bikes get onto the greenway more easily.

The team has also laid a smooth tarmac surface, removed lumps caused by tree roots, and widened the path to three metres.

Spen Valley Greenway is part of National Route 66, a former railway line that runs from Dewsbury to Oakenshaw, near Bradford.

It’s a popular path for people walking and cycling for leisure, as well as commuting to school and workplaces.

Sarah Bradbury, Senior project officer at Sustrans said: “The Spen Valley Greenway is one of our most popular community routes, used by schoolchildren to get to school, people commuting to work and many local groups meet to walk, run, wheel or cycle along it.

“These improvements will help many more people use the route, particularly people with wheelchairs or buggies. The surface is smoother, wider and it’s easier to get on and off the path.”

Sustrans received funding from the Department for Transport to carry out the improvements on Spen Valley Greenway, as part of its national Paths for Everyone programme to create a high-quality National Cycle Network that everyone is able to access.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “This event is a great way to showcase the work that has been done to make this route more accessible for everyone and enjoy the local scenery.”

The celebration event for the Spen Valley Greenway is on Friday May 31 from 9.30am to 2pm on the Spen Valley Greenway (Laithe Hall Avenue entrance).

To register visit Celebrate the Spen Valley Greenway Tickets, Fri, May 31, 2024 at 10:00 AM | Eventbrite