Footpath row rumbles on

Published on 17th May 2007 in News

'Take it or lose £33,000' was the message from one Goole Town councillor as more questions were raised about the planned improvements to the Hook to Goole footpath.

Work began on the Access for All project more than three years ago and has gone from being part-funded by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) and the Goole Town Council (GTC), to being completely funded by the ERYC.

At a previous meeting, councillors agreed to go ahead with the project, despite an email from the ERYC saying that it would be the community's responsibility to maintain it, and not theirs.

The project has been criticised by Mr Michael Collier, of Garth Lane in Hook, whose property is next to the footpath.

He claims that it will encourage illegal motorcyclists to use the path and the nature areas at Mayfield and Broompark and the police will not deal with problems as a priority.

GTC have been told that it is not possible to keep out motorbikes while letting pushchairs and prams pass.

At Monday's meeting, Cllr Kester Dean queried this and suggested there must be way of doing this.

Former town councillor Eric Raddings, who helped initiate Access for All, said: "I want to remind people of the aims and aspirations of the project.

"It is simply that we have got to make provision for the old, the infirm and the young to access our country parks.

"I visited on Monday and it was a quagmire. There was no way anyone could get down there."

It was pointed out that a new path was not being created but simply upgraded.

Cllr Jean Kitchen, who worked with Mr Raddings on the project, suggested that, as there could be an underspend, the surplus money could be put towards maintenance.

Addressing councillors' concerns about the project, she told them: "If we stop it now, we're going to lose £33,000 to Driffield."