Financial backing for footpath consultation

2:03pm Thursday 29th March 2007

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PARISH councillors in Addingham have vowed to keep a very close eye on the consultation for the proposed bridleway, cycle and foot-path from Bolton Abbey to Ilkley.

A public meeting last week gave the go-ahead to apply for funding for the village-wide consultation but at their meeting the following day, Addingham village leaders spelled out exactly what they wanted from the survey.

And despite widespread support for the plan, some parish councillors remain opposed to creating the path at all.

Parish Councillor Sheila Hamilton said she was concerned at the wildlife which would be affected if the former railway line between Addingham and Bolton Abbey was opened up again.

She said: "Miles of habitat is going to go - a swathe of Tarmac through Wharfedale is not good."

The main fear expressed at the meeting was that many villagers would just agree to ha-ing the path without realising its full implications and size.

Parish Councillor Alan Jerome said: "There needs to be full details of what the proposals are so the consultation can be meaningful."

He also asked that the consultation should include a presentation and exhibition at the village Memorial Hall so the full implications of the project could be judged properly. Otherwise, people could be agreeing to a proposal without knowing what it would entail.

District Councillor Adrian Naylor told the meeting that the Keighley Area Committee, which will pay for the consultation exercise, could be instructed to include full details.

Coun Naylor (Con) said: "The money will come through the area committee. You can design what you want in terms of the consultation exercise - exactly what goes out, where it goes and what form it takes."

Coun Jerome said that the Millennium charity Sustrans should include the Addingham to Ilkley path proposals at the same time as the former railway path between Bolton Abbey and Addingham.

"They need to do the whole thing and come with a presentation," he said.

If the consultation exercise reveals that the village is in favour of the new path, negotia-tions with landowners over the purchase of the land will begin in earnest.

Bradford Council has this week agreed to fund its share of the consultation exercise to a cost of around £6,000. Footpath campaigners are now hoping that North Yorkshire County Council will come up with £2,000.

Path plan supporter Andy Scull, of Main Street, said he hoped that the consultation could be completed this summer. He said: "I am delighted by the news. It demonstrates not only that Bradford Council take this project seriously, but that they recognise the level of support that exists for the scheme amongst the local population"

Supporters of The Wharfedale Trail will visit Ilkley Parish Council's next General Purposes Committee meeting on April 15 to tell councillors more about the drive for a traffic-free path up the valley.