How Safe is Cycling in the Peak District?

Training session in Stannington for new road cyclists

Last month a 22-year-old woman from Sheffield died after she cycled down Winnats Pass in Castleton when her bike hit a wall at the bottom of the hill.

This sad story made me want to look into how safe it is to ride in the challenging but beautiful climbs and descents of the Peaks. I dug out the figures and found the numbers of cyclists who had died or been injured on the roads in the national park has trebled in five years, although these numbers are relatively low (four injured in 2008 and twelve last year, including one death).

When I asked other cyclists about this story I was told that many accidents are not recorded in the figures because cyclists that are hurt often do not report it to the police. Here's my story...

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Asian Women Cycling

I've been busy covering lots of cycling stories in the run up to the Tour de France starting in Yorkshire.

I recently recorded at a weekly cycling session for Asian women in a park in Sheffield. 

The ladies there told me they feel comfortable cycling in the walled off area where people won't be watching them and that it's not socially acceptable for them to ride on the roads in their communities. 

listen to ‘Asian Women Cycling’ on Audioboo

Tour de France Reporter

Today I start a new job covering the Tour de France for BBC Radio Sheffield. I'll be covering every twist and turn of the greatest cycle race coming to South Yorkshire on 6th July. As a massive cycling fan it’s a huge privilege to be doing this job.

As well as explaining what the race itself is all about, there’s lots for me to look at covering including the logistical challenge for the organisers of hosting the biggest annual sporting event in the world, community groups arranging parties for the race day when the Tour goes past their homes and then what the legacy will be. There’s also the 100 day YorkshireFestival which is an extensive programme of arts and cultural events in the run up to the Grand Départ, when the Tour comes to Yorkshire.

On the day itself we'll have reporters dotted along the route, broadcasting live on what will be a momentous occasion for our area. And then when the race leaves Yorkshire I’ll have a couple of weeks off on holiday…in France watching the Tour in the Pyrenees and then the finale in Paris!

If you have any story ideas, I'd love to hear from you: mark.ansell@bbc.co.uk