This Sunday April 22nd sees the first bit of trail maintenance happening at Lee Quarry since council cuts back in 2015. Go get yer dig on!

>>> Lee Quarry and Cragg Quarry, Lancashire trail centre guide

Lee Quarry Dig Day need to know

• Sunday April 22nd from 10am
• Futures Park, Bacup OL13 0DM
• Bring wheelbarrows, spades, rakes or mattocks if you have any
• Dress appropriately
• Details on facebook.com/events/123092401850770/

In times of austerity the government leans heavily on local councils to make savings. This results in cuts. Cuts to things like libraries and cuts to things like cycle routes and mountain bike trails.

Back in 2015 Lancashire trail centre Lee Quarry had its maintenance funding pulled by Lancashire County Council. As it turns out, the local riders weren’t very pleased to have their favourite playground seemingly abandoned to fall into disrepair. In March 2016 over 400 mountain bikers attended a Big Day Out organised to show support for Lee Quarry in face of these council cuts.

As with anything involving a council, definitive progress and decision-making takes time. But we can happily spread the news that the first Dig Day for an awful long time will be happening this coming weekend.

The aim of the day will be to do some much needed trail maintenance. Key sections are pump tracks, berms and jumps.

The Dig Day has been organised by PMBA. Sam Hopley from the PMBA: “Following on from the success of ‘the Big Day Out’ back in Feb 2016 the PMBA have been working closely with both Lancashire County Council and Rossendale Borough Council to explore ways of working together with a view to creating some sort of body that could take on the level of responsibility for the management of the site.

“We have made some good progress but discussions are still ongoing and over the coming months we are looking to nail down agreements and commitments. Until then we feel it show commitment by arranging some Dig Days to help maintain the mountain bike trails in Lee and Cragg Quarry.

“We have a planned Dig Day on Sunday 22nd April from 10am which we are seeking volunteers to come and give some time to help maintain the trails.

“Over the summer we are hoping to increase signage and repair some of the worn-out features in the quarries.

“We need the continued support of PMBA members to do this and would really like to get more people actively involved.”