Canal towpath plans axed
From Adrian Riley
Sunday, 3 December 2017
Plans to improve the canal towpath between Hebden Bridge and Todmorden have been axed (report in local paper). The Government funding was already in place and detailed plans had been drawn up.
Even if these plans had gone ahead, the towpath from the centre of Todmorden to Summit was not included, dire though this stretch is with reduced width because half the path has collapsed in the canal.
The towpath in the upper valley is unfit to walk on and is nothing but a slutch-bath. Can I suggest the next Calder Valley scheme (of any sort) starts at Todmorden and progresses towards Halifax. I bet the money doesn't run out then.
On a general note, footpaths at the side of main thoroughfares are a disgrace and unswept. Many are covered in slimy leaves so that pedestrians walk in the road to avoid slipping on them.
Where there are no leaves to avoid, their place is taken with cars which have adopted the full width of pavements as a car park.
Pedestrians have to walk in the road, wheelchair access is denied, children in prams have to negotiate the hazards of the open road.
We may be thinking of a "Northern Powerhouse" but unless the everyday concerns of people just wanting to walk from A to B are not addressed; it will all be a nonsense.
From Andy M
Tuesday, 5 December 2017
You might want to address your pavement maintenance complaints to our MP? After all, it's his party that has repeatedly cut Local Authority funding which has led to a decline in all types of pavements/ footpath/ bridleway maintenance.
From Adrian Riley
Thursday, 7 December 2017
Andy M: There are always funding issues but it all depends what society is content with.
I had the rare occasion to travel to Halifax by car this morning and the road was inundated with deep lakes in many places. All because the gullies are full of un-swept leaves. Even after all recent flooding problems, we still have not learnt to prevent surface water flooding. This is basic bread and butter maintenance, we aren't talking about jam as well.
Everywhere is an unswept mess--pavements and roads.
Yet Calderdale has a new campaign supported by a large grant: Let's Get Active.
May I suggest the grant is best spent on brushes to sweep the pavements; then some barrow-loads of gravel to infill the muddy hollows that deter passage on most of our former well used local pathways.
Cllr Tim Swift has an upbeat message in the press release but he doesn't mention that the most basic exercise of walking and strolling has become a mud-plug and slime event.
From Andy M
Monday, 11 December 2017
Project monies secured from Sport England are not basic maintenance grants and can't be spent as such. Well done Calderdale for getting this but it's a shame that the Government doesn't recognise that money spent on footpaths and bridleways results in big savings for public services and lots of cash injected into local business.
And, as far as I've seen gully maintenance is much more regular than 2 or 3 years ago.
And...back to the canal. It's a shame
See also
HebWeb News: Plans for for improving towpath axed (3 Dec)