We would like to know what you think of the Aire Valley Towpath Route. Please email us on enquiries.leedsliverpool@britishwaterways.co.uk  with your comments and suggestions.

British Waterways For information on the Aire Valley Towpath Route, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and British Waterways, please contact:
Address British Waterways, Dobson Lock, Apperley Bridge, Bradford, BD10 0PY
Telephone 01274 611303 F 01274 621683
Email enquiries.leedsliverpool@britishwaterways.co.uk
Website www.britishwaterways.co.uk

Sustrans For information on Sustrans and the National Cycle Network, please contact:
A Sustrans Information Service, P0 Box 21, Bristol, BS99 2HA
T 0117 929 0888
W www.sustrans.org.uk

Leeds Cycling Action Group are involved in all aspects of promoting cycling in the city. Monthly meetings and regular newsletters keep members informed.
A 2 Norwood Craft, Stanningley, Leeds, LS28 6NH
W www.leedscyclists.org.uk

Bradford Cycling Action Group is the voluntary organisation of local cycle users that campaigns for a better environment and safer roads for cyclists. The group also organises social rides and events.
T 01274 602394
W www.geocities.com/bradfordbikes

CTC (Cyclists Touring Club) is Britain’s largest cycling organisation with more than 50,000 members.
T 0870 873 0061 for membership enquries - 0870 873 0060 for touring, technical and general enquiries
W www.ctc.org.uk

Leeds and Bradford Councils have produced cycle maps of the cities. The Leeds map can be viewed online via the council’s website at www.leeds.gov.uk

The Trans Pennine Trail (National Cycle Network Route 67) leads southwards from the Royal Armouries Museum along the towpath of the Aire & Calder Navigation to Mickletown (7 miles) and onwards via Wakefield to Barnsley to meet the east-west route. The Trans Pennine Trail Officer can be contacted on 01226 772574 or visit the website www.transpenninetrail.org.uk  For information on the Leeds section, please contact 0113 232 9422

Public Transport Information
Travelwise is working in partnership with business and the community to promote travel awareness and sustainable transport in Leeds, Bradford and throughout the country.
The Aire Valley Towpath Route on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal runs adjacent to the Airedale railway line with stations at Leeds, Shipley, Saltaire, Bingley, Keighley, Steeton and Silsden, Cononley and to Skipton. Train links beyond Skipton are available. You could walk or cycle one way and catch the train back!
The 760 bus route operates from Leeds to Keighley, passing Kirkstall, Rodley, Calverley, Greengates, Shipley, Saltaire, Bingley and terminating at Keighley. All these locations are close to the Aire Valley Towpath Route on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
For those walking the route, the bus is an ideal way of getting home!
For further information, please contact Metro on 0113 245 7676 or pick up a timetable from bus and train stations, libraries and information centres.

Leeds and Bradford Councils The project has been generously funded by Leeds and Bradford Councils with £205,000 from Leeds Council and £83,000 from Bradford Council totalling £288,000. The route is seen by the councils as a useful commuter link and leisure facility to encourage people to start cycling; they remain partners in the scheme as it continues into the next phase of works.

Sustrans
Sustrans were commissioned by British Waterways and Leeds and Bradford Councils to prepare a report on the canal corridor in 1995 to determine what was required to make the towpath suitable for all users and also a suitable route to link in with the National Cycle Network. The report became the subject of several years of consultation. The route from Leeds was then added to the Local Transport Plan (LTP) as the proposed National Cycle Network – Route 66. The Aire Valley Towpath Route is seen by Leeds and Bradford Councils as an extremely useful commuter route incorporating the two cities and reducing the number of cyclists on local roads and highways. The government supported the West Yorkshire LTP which made money available through the Leeds and Bradford Councils for the project. Sustrans remain partners in the project as it continues into the next stage of the works.

Route 66 of the National Cycle Network will eventually run from Manchester to Hull and now includes the Aire Valley Towpath Route. Route 66 encompasses Manchester, Oldham, Huddersfield, Bradford, Leeds, York and Hull.

Sustrans Volunteer Rangers are monitoring the route to encourage safe usage and are available for advice and guidance on other cycling issues.

British Waterways
British Waterways manage and maintain a 2000 mile network of inland waterways in Britain. The opening of the Aire Valley Towpath Route supports the vision of British Waterways, to encourage increased usage of the canal towpath and to make it more accessible for a wider section of the community including walkers, cyclists, anglers and mobility impaired users.