A popular footpath linking Troydale and Roker Lane in Pudsey will remain closed to walkers after the council deemed part of it ‘unsafe’.
Council officers have said that banking supporting this public footpath has been subject to further erosions which has rendered the path unsafe to use. Temporary metal fences have been partially blocking the entrances to the path.
A temporary closure notice has now been placed on the path, which lasts to April next year.
But dog walker Shelley Tillett, who uses the path every week, said:
“It’s so frustrating. The broken down temporary fences are more unsafe for wildlife than anything else – one of them was in the beck at one stage. People are just climbing all over them anyway.
‘The footpath’s been eroding in places since I was a child, and I’m nearly 50 years old now! Why is it all taking so long? It’s no more unsafe now than it was a few years ago.”
Councillor Simon Seary (Cons, Pudsey) has asked for the metal fences to be removed and for the repairs to be carried out. He said: “It is a walk in the countryside, not The Headrow. If we had Snowdonia in Leeds the council would close it off for being unsafe.
“All we need is a sign warning that the footpath is unsafe and let the public decide, we don’t need the temporary fencing. Ultimately the banking needs repairing.”
A council footpaths officer said: “Unfortunately the banking supporting this public footpath has been subject to further erosion, particularly south of the old weir, which has rendered the path unsafe to use.
“In view of the above situation, and in order to safeguard the public, diversionary routes for pedestrians affected by the closure will be available via Pudsey Footpath No. 55 and along Roker Lane; and along Tong Road and Troydale Lane.
“In order for repairs to be undertaken, subject to resourcing and capacity; access across neighbouring privately owned land, together with the consent from the Environment Agency, is likely to be needed.”
There are other issues over the footpath route, relating to a public path diversion order that appear to have been made in 1978 but were not registered. The path originally went through a field, but now goes by the side of the beck.
John Baron