Author: holmfirthwalker

New Prow Status Discovered In Meltham!

Wonders never cease….

PathWatch can reveal a new status of public right of way has evolved in the petri dish of cock ups that is Kirklees Council. The new status is known as “Relief Bridleway”. The Frankenstein status has come about through a rogue planning condition subsequently discharged by planning officers.

The resulting horror (pictured above) has led to the tarmacking of the legal bridleway.The “relief bridleway” is crudely stitched on like an ill fitting, unusable limb. Neither creation is particularly attractive or user friendly.

The rogue planning condition.

Sentence For Obstructing A Public Footpath Now Up To 51 Weeks In Prison !

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 increased the penalty for obstruction of the highway to include a prison sentence not exceeding 51 weeks. The increase was the government’s response to obstruction of the highway by protesters, but insertion in Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980 extends the penalty to obstruction of any public right of way, which would seem to be an unintended consequence benefiting Ramblers 🙂

Local authorities have always been very reluctant to prosecute landowners who obstruct footpaths claiming there’s no point. Imagine the deterrent effect of a few developers or landowners being banged up for a few months? Tough on crime and all that….

Holmfirth Bridleway 94 Windy Hill – Progress.

Reinstatement works to BW 94

Previously on PathWatch we featured the dreadful damage to Holmfirth Bridleway 94 at Windy Hill quarry (here and here )

The bridleway was shut in early August with an emergency closure order which was subsequently extended with a 6 months closure to allow for reinstatement works. The observant reader will notice that the closure doesn’t apply to cyclists!

Although the bridleway is still closed it is possible to see works to reinstate the route from the road below and it looks encouraging. Hopefully the bridleway will soon be reopened for public use.

This case has been dealt with by the council’s “Complex Enforcement Officer” who seems to have access to a wider range of council resources than either Prow or “normal” enforcement staff.

Whilst things do look encouraging it’s best not to count any eggs or even assume the hens are laying with Kirklees but PathWatch lives in hope.

Kirklees PROW Forum

Kirklees Prow Managers From the H Simpson Academy

The Kirklees Prow Forum has restarted after a long Covid break. The latest meeting was held on 25th July 2022. Here are the notes .

The problem with Public Rights of Way management in Kirklees is, and continues to be, a culture within management and councillors that Prows don’t matter. All prow problems highlighted on this blog and out there on the network stem from this notion. “It’s only a footpath” is repeated like a holy mantra any time some path problem comes to light.

The same errors are repeated over and over again. The costs involved dwarf the annual prow maintenance budget. That there is no coherent approach to enforcement, planning or cyclic maintenance of Prows speaks volumes. At the end of the day it’s only 700 miles of path network. How hard can it be?

Examples – Batley FP 5 Holmfirth BW 94 Ramsden Road Meltham BW 50 Colne Valley They’re only footpaths!

Sub Committee Highlights Featuring Denby Dale FP 82 Extinguishment.

Councillor Steve Hall in good form.

Councillor Steve Hall got to be Chair of the Sub Committee for the day and brought his own no nonsense common sense approach to proceedings.

Councillors were falling over each other to approve the extinguishment of Denby Dale 82. Steve Hall led the way by saying “It looked pretty straight forward”.

Councillor Firth asked if the applicants had ever though of opening a cafe as they’d have a path straight to it. Comedy gold.

No reports were put before the sub committee from the Prow list of definitive map modification order applications There are 248 applications on the list. The number 1 priority case was received by Kirklees in 1993. There are also some 16 directions from the Secretary of State which set a deadline for determination. None of these were put before the committee.

Kirklees uses the well worn “lack of resources” excuse to both the public and Secretary of State for the lack of any meaningful progress on the 248 outstanding applications. Odd that it has resources for an extinguishment then?

Cllr Eric Firth

Planning Applications Affecting Prows In Kirklees

This one had no planning permission!

Kirklees publish a weekly list of planning applications affecting public rights of way. They are required to do this under the Town & Country Planning (Development Control Procedure) (England) Order 2015 Notice Under Article 15. Often the effects of these applications on prows is fairly minor and at other times it can be the end of a lovely well used rural or semi rural path. This procedure is the public’s opportunity to comment. PathWatch will endeavour to share the list on a regular basis. Have a look, there may be a path you use on here. Commenting is free and who knows they might take it on board.

This weeks paths are as follows. Huddersfield FP 390 Birkby Hall Road. Huddersfield FP 298 Bull Green Road. Huddersfield FP 62 Dalton Bank Road. Holmfirth FP 139 Butt Lane,Hepworth. Huddersfield FP 343 New North Road. Denby Dale FP 61 Cliff Hill (Major development). Dewsbury FP 107 Heckmondwike Road. Spen 41,44,46 Hunsworth Lane. Batley FP 37 Hanging Heaton. Mirfield FP 12 Northorp Lane.

No Bull – Thanks Kirklees

Re homed to a field without a footpath

Previously on PathWatch we reported on a lone bull in a field crossed by Colne Valley Footpath 102. Having no female company the bulls presence was contrary to section 59 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

The issue has been dealt with swiftly and effectively by Kirklees and the bull moved to a field without public access. Thanks to the council for this 🙂