By Gary Lemal, Chair of Greenside Greenway group
On Tuesday evening the group promoting the low energy use of Pudsey’s old railway line will be having a meeting.
In the upstairs room of the Royal on Station Street from 7.30pm interested people will be able ask questions and find out what is happening with the route.
It is just 12 months since Andy Jarosz stepped down as chair of Greenside Greenway Community Interest Organisation. The group had just had the unveiling of the Heritage Information Boards, by West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, with Pudsey councillor Trish Smith in attendance.
Highlighting the route of the former Pudsey Loop railway to the combined authority has possibly helped identify Pudsey and the greenway as a route option for the proposed Mass Transit Scheme, which will include a modern tram system connecting Leeds and Bradford.
There are a number of stakeholders involved in the choice of the preferred routes for the Mass Transit Scheme. These include Leeds City Council, Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council, home owners, businesses, WY Passenger Transport Executive, WY Highways, to name a few, however Greenside Greenway CIO also has a voice as a stakeholder body.
Over the last 12 months the committee, appointed by the trustees appointed at last year’s AGM. have continued to meet on the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held in the Royal, Station Street, and are always happy for others who are interested to join in.
David Dixon has taken on secretarial duties for both the committee and the trustees.
David has also completed a booklet guiding users along the Greenside Greenway from Mount Pleasant through the Crimbles, Lowtown to Greenside, along Smalewell ,down the path to the trackbed along the Embankment to Black Hey, before returning to Pudsey via the beck, Alexandra Road and Tofts.
The booklet will be added to the Greenside Greenway website.
Greenside Greenway have continued to widen some of the most overgrown pathways. There were some paths which had greenery growing from both sides into the middle.
Volunteers now believe that all the paths are wide enough for two people to walk along side by side. It will also be easier when meeting someone coming in the opposite direction.
Last year we had a balsam bash a little later than ideal. Our next balsam bash will be Saturday, 4 June meeting at 10am by the Fox and Grapes pub. Hopefully it will be after the plants are tall enough to find amongst other plants and before they are in full flower.
David Dixon looked at a strategic plan for the Greenside Greenway and put together a document to clarify direction for us and help us coordinate our activities.
This strategic plan was reviewed and accepted by the committee. It includes analysis of the different uses and potential uses for the greenway and identifies opportunities, demand and risk.
Three goals were also set: the preservation of historical infrastructure, securing access for users and securing an unhindered greenway route.
The plan also looked at funding, engaging with other groups and targeting individuals with specific skills or knowledge. An operational plan was also defined with goals, divided into stages utilising individual responsibility and set time scales.
Last May we attended Pudsey Carnival and the model train travelling through a miniature Greenside Tunnel was very popular. Andy Wilson has further improved the layout for this year’s carnival.
Our friends in Litter Free Pudsey have continued their excellent work in keeping the footpaths and roads of Pudsey clear. Once frequent mass litter picks along the Greenway are no longer required, but individuals still litter pick from time to time.
We have in previous years had consultants from various bodies look at the infrastructure we have along the greenway and they have looked at improving junctions to encourage cycling and low energy transport.
In some cases this is straightforward, perhaps adjusting a corner to improve line of sight making it safer for different user types. In other instances steps could be replaced with a slope making it easier for wheelchairs and bicycles.
Where a path comes to a road there is a need for a barrier to prevent cyclists from whizzing straight across. Many of the junctions are quite complex, combining the requirements of road users, pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.
The possibility of Mass Transit utilising the Greenway makes it prudent to wait and see what happens.
If a tram line is installed then accommodation will need to be made for other users. This isn’t just a wish but a health and safety necessity which the WYCA is fully aware of.
If a tram can go over a bridge, through a tunnel or along a stretch of former railway so can a pedestrian, cyclist or horse and rider with this in mind any tram system will include creating a parallel route for other users.
The effect of the parallel pathway means that if the Mass Transit Scheme is to come through Pudsey a large part of the creation of a fully functioning greenway will be undertaken with the construction of the tramway.
The reason many cycleways don’t get used as fully as they might is because they are not well connected. Cyclists in Pudsey have to get to the Leeds & Bradford Cycle SuperHighway before they can use it.
Travelling to the centre of Pudsey you can go up Richardshaw Lane with the steep hill and parked cars to negotiate.
Coming from Leeds will include Swinnow Road and Lowtown with parked cars an little opportunity for safe overtaking. Cyclists returning from Bradford will also have had to brave being overtaken too closely and negotiate parked cars.
We do not know what will happen with the the Mass Transit scheme so we will continue to maintain the old railway line through Pudsey, we will continue to liaise with the combined authority and their consultants.
the group would like to see trams along the greenway as this is a good way to fulfill our aims of creating a greenway through Pudsey. The group is very aware of the concerns of residents along the route who may in the short term be affected to their serious detriment.
The group does not support the development of the Tong and Fulneck Valley or development of Black Carr Woods.
What happens if WYCA decides following all the consultations not to bring the Mass Transit Scheme through Pudsey? It is my belief that even if the trams are to run along Stanningley Road and the A647 into Bradford then the Pudsey Loop will be preserved for future expansion of the tram network.
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Very interesting and will try and get over one day to get “stuck-in”. I went to St Josephs school and spent many hours watching trains approaching Lowdown Station. Also have to confess was also stupid enough ( at 10 years old) to go through Green side tunnel and wait for a train to pass! Different days 🙂