The Fossil Tree - Cutsyke, UK - Abstract Public Sculptures on Waymarking.com

A SUSTRANS cycle network milestone marker on national route 69. At this point it is the Castleford Greenway. This cycle and walking path is on the former Pontefract To Methley Railway line which closed to rail traffic in 1981.

SUSTRANS is an organisation that promotes the use of cycles as a green form of transport. A national network of cycle routes is being developed in conjunction with local councils. Wherever possible the routes avoid roads, but in some places have to share the road network. As part of the millennium celebrations 1000 mileposts have been installed at various positions throughout the whole SUSTRANS network. Each one gives directions and distances to nearby places on the cycle route. The style of this sign is a tree, with a timeline from pre-history to the near future. It shows a series of fossils progressing upwards, from simple to complex life. However as you get to the top the progression goes from bicycles to petrol tanks running dry.

The message is clear, be green and use cycles rather than cars.

The branches on the tree are direction pointers.

In this case the Castleford Greenway only started to be developed in 2014. This milepost does not have any place names on the direction posts, nor does it mention a specific NCN route number. It would appear that some 'blank milestones' must have been ade for use when new routes were developed.

This section of the Castleford Greenway was inspired by the fact that the early stages of the Tour de France in 2014 were actually held in Yorkshire, to great local excitement. When it opened it was 1.4 km long and connected Cutsyke to Lumley Hill. It stopped at Lumley Hill because a former bridge over another railway line was demolished when this line closed.
In 2019 a new bridge was built over the Hallam Line extending Castleford Greenway from Cutsyke to Methley Junction and also connecting to another cycle route along the Aire and Calder Navigation towpath.

All the mileposts were cast in bare metal, but the local communities were encouraged to paint them in whatever colour scheme they chose. In this case the four sections of colour represent the coloured jerseys worn by race leaders in the Tour de France.

Title: The Fossil Tree Artist: John Mills Media (materials) used: Metal Location (specific park, transit center, library, etc.): Castleford GreenWay (part of National Cycle Rout 69. Date of creation or placement: Not listed

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