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Archive => Archived Boards => Local Issues => Topic started by: Harry on May 27, 2003, 05:09:07 PM
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I had a stroll down to the Roman Lakes over the weekend and got to wondering why the buildings there were never finished.
The snack bar is in a building that looks like it has only been half completed, and it has looked that way for as long as I can remember. There is also another half built building behind it.
Does anybody know what the story is behind this? Did somebody with grand ideas plan something like a restaurant or cafe but run out of money before it was finished?
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The story I've heard is that the old man that used to own Roman Lakes died during doing the place up and his sons never got it finished. Well that's the story I've been told, does anyone know diffrent?
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Sounds feasible. But begs the question - Why?
Whoever owns it now has done an excellent marketing job at http://www.romanlakes.co.uk/ so why not invest some money and really make the place attractive and viable.
Anybody know ?
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He was a remarkable old boy who lived there - for about 50 years I think, until he died quite recently. He once told me he'd moved out of Manchester to the countryside around 1950 for the sake of his health. It was a lifelong project, but I believe he didn't hold with borrowing money, so of course it was never completed. But the website may be a sign that things are starting to happen after all these years. I've always thought the potential of the Roman Lakes is fantastic, but it would need some serious investment, obviously, and to be honest, I rather like it as it is. :)
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I thought I'd resurrect this topic after its 10 year break... Just been for a wander round there with the family and I have to say I was very impressed. I'd not been since the new Tearoom was opened - this is nice and cosy (very cosy if you sit near the wood-burning stove) with good "hearty" food - I guess aimed at hungry mountain bikers. We had soup and rolls - these I think were home made and very good.
I think this is a great resource for the area, catering as it does for cyclists, walkers, fishing, canoeing and wildlife-spotting (We saw a couple of buzzards overhead). We had a really enjoyable afternoon there - not bad considering its only 15 mins walk form Marple centre. I hope the owners manage to continue with its development.
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Well said Cyberman! Yes, after some years of apparent neglect, things have been happening down at the Roman Lakes over the past couple of years. One important part of this has been the establishment of the Friends of Our Valley. See http://www.ourvalley.org.uk/ They have worked with Stockport Council, the Mellor Archeological Trust and others, and have been successful in raising funds from external sources for various improvements around the Goyt Valley, including clearing woodland and planting. And then there are the popular Roman Lakes tea dances too. It's good to see things happening down there at last!
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Could I ask whether these improvements have extended to repairing the approach road to the Lakes? I hope so. It's been about 18 months since I was last there but the sheer number and size of potholes damaged my car's suspension. I must say it put me off going again!
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Could I ask whether these improvements have extended to repairing the approach road to the Lakes? I hope so. It's been about 18 months since I was last there but the sheer number and size of potholes damaged my car's suspension. I must say it put me off going again!
Why not walk there next time. Better for you, better for the car and better for the road. :)
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Cycled through on Monday and the potholes were the worst I've ever seen them. I had thought with all the viaduct works Network Rail might have thrown down some temporary ballast for their vehicles but obviously not - the temporary metal road deck through there was the best surface!
As nice as it is to imagine everyone getting there by foot, there aren't enough people living close enough or willing to do that to sustain it, so whoever's responsible really does need to look at options to improve the road...
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As I understand it, the road to the Roman Lakes is classified as a bridleway. Motorised vehicles are only permitted to use it in order to gain access to places situated on it - such as the Roman Lakes, of course. Trouble is, local Highway Authorities (i.e. councils) are only obliged to maintain bridleways up to the standard necessary for them to be used by horse riders. Hence the dreadful condition of the road.
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Quite frankly I'm glad the surface is so bad. As one who only ever walks or cycles the route, typically with 2 willing youngsters (<10) accompanying me, it's nice not to have to worry about cars travelling at more than 10mph (and I'm speaking as one who elsewhere advocates driving at a true 30mph in towns and villages, when it is safe and legal to do so, and somewhat more than the NSL on many rural A and M routes... :-) The more people that use the Roman Lakes the better for all of us. Those that can't, or chose not to, walk there are welcome by vehicle - just plan an extra couple of minutes for the journey...
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Interesting info Dave, makes sense.
rsh - I dread to think what state it is in after a further 18 months of neglect and bad weather.
Ideally one would walk everywhere, but when you have very small children and elderly in-laws that option is sadly not practical, and it's a fair stretch from the main road. I will unfortunately be staying away from what surely is a site with huge potential.
If visitor numbers are to increase significantly then the road improvement has to be the priority.
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Can't speak about elderly in-laws (well I can but health wise the Roman Lakes are not an option for them even by car) but both my kids have been going to the Roman Lakes since they were only a few months old. First in a "front carry", then in a rear one, then from the age of about 15 months a combination of walking and carrying. Can't remember when "number one" first walked the full 3 mile loop without any adult assistance (other than a hand) but "number 2" was 2 and a half. They have never been taken there by car.
We are by no means an exception - over the years we have met many other families in a similar position.
The Lakes are not a fair stretch from the main road for very small children if you set your ambitions (and efforts) a little higher. Note I say your ambitions. Kids will follow your lead.
Of course you are at liberty to stay away (as I will if the road improves ;-) )
RH
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As SMBC have long refused to carry out any repairs or improvements to this road, it has been left to the owners of the Roman Lakes to do what they can to fill the potholes and keep it some sort of drivable condition. Which they have been doing for some years. But the resources to do this are limited. Anyone who feels strongly about this and wants to do something constructive should get involved with the Friends of Our Valley. See http://www.ourvalley.org.uk/
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Quite frankly I'm glad the surface is so bad. As one who only ever walks or cycles the route, typically with 2 willing youngsters (<10) accompanying me, it's nice not to have to worry about cars travelling at more than 10mph (and I'm speaking as one who elsewhere advocates driving at a true 30mph in towns and villages, when it is safe and legal to do so, and somewhat more than the NSL on many rural A and M routes... :-) The more people that use the Roman Lakes the better for all of us. Those that can't, or chose not to, walk there are welcome by vehicle - just plan an extra couple of minutes for the journey...
Couldn't agree more. If not local then park on Awkwright Road and it's a beautiful walk down to the Roman Lakes, and no fast vehicles to endanger the kids. Love it exactly the way it is currently.
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Nothing lowly about my ambitions or efforts! I do find it genuinely puzzling that anyone should be opposed to improving the road, if nothing else than for emergency vehicle access. And I never see cars hurtling down the access road to Chadkirk, say. After all, it is only access - Presumably one doesn't visit the lakes simply to walk through a load of potholes. But I guess we agree to differ.
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I can see both points of view, but on balance I think Phil, rsh and sgk have the more persuasive argument. Despite the poor surface, some people already drive too fast along that bridleway, especially delivery van drivers, who aren't too bothered about causing damage to their vehicles, of course. And then there are the occasional convoys of fast off-road motorbike riders, who ride around the bridleways illegally (and very noisily) at weekends. Mind you, I guess maybe they like a rough surface, so perhaps if it were smoother they might leave us in peace :D
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Not sure which point of view you mean now Dave! I was definitely in the resurfacing camp, although really all I'd like is the spectacular number of potholes filled in with ballast, not a big ask. I never expected it to be the council's problem either as it's clearly unadopted as a road. So it's up to the owners of the lakes buildings and/or local volunteers in the valley project (or indeed us) to sort it.
If speeding ever became a problem, then take action to solve it, it shouldn't mean leaving an important access route to such an asset in a practically unusable condition. You could even say that people speed down there now because the track's in such a bad state they think or know they'll be the only vehicle on it!
Chadkirk is a good comparison. In fact, the lakes might be improved by similarly making a new car park closer to the main access road, solving all these problems AND forcing people to walk a bit.
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If speeding ever became a problem, then take action to solve it
Not sure what action that would be. AFAIK the only legally enforceable speed limit on a bridleway is the National Speed Limit (60 mph).
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Speed bumps, narrowing the roadway? Needless to say that I've never been mown down by someone doing 60 on a bridleway, so it's probably a pointless discussion anyway.
In fact, if anything were to be resurfaced in our area I'd much rather it be the hopeless canal towpaths towards Strines and High Lane. Or would people be worried that encouraging more people to actually use those would spoil them too?
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Chadkirk is a good comparison. In fact, the lakes might be improved by similarly making a new car park closer to the main access road, solving all these problems AND forcing people to walk a bit.
That's a good idea. In my opinion the problem is the route is not wide enough for a surfaced road with a pavement, and with no pavement pedestrians and young kids on bikes will be at the mercy of the significant proportion of motorists who seem incapable acting considerately to anyone else. It's ok as it is - perhaps with major potholes fixed. You can drive along the road slowly, and if you are under that much time pressure perhaps you should be somewhere else.
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As I understand it, the road to the Roman Lakes is classified as a bridleway. Motorised vehicles are only permitted to use it in order to gain access to places situated on it - such as the Roman Lakes, of course. Trouble is, local Highway Authorities (i.e. councils) are only obliged to maintain bridleways up to the standard necessary for them to be used by horse riders. Hence the dreadful condition of the road.
After reading this thread I decided to go and do a recce by car down to the Lakes. I agree, it is dreadful. I crawled along avoiding potholes where possible (which wasn't often) at a top speed of 5 miles an hour (didn't know my car could go that slow!). By the time I'd gone down and back I felt quite sick from the lurching about.
As for it being a bridleway, I would be very reluctant to take my horse down there in the state it's in (and he's an ex-hunter and very sure footed). Perhaps riders should lobby the HA to get it back into some sort of order? Having said that, the bridleway deviates from the roadway in a couple of places so the whole length of the road isn't, strictly speaking, a bridleway.
As motor vehicles are permitted on the road it's is more likely to be a BOAT ("Bye-way Open to All Traffic", in other words a highway over which the public have a right of way for vehicular and all other kinds of traffic but which is used by the public mainly for the purposes for which footpaths and bridleways are used i.e. walking, cycling or horse riding). Under the 1980 Highways Act all BOATs that were formerly RUPPs ("Roads Used as Public Paths") are also now highways maintainable at public expense.
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No, SMBC confirm that Lakes Road is definitely a bridleway, not a BOAT. That means that vehicles are permitted to use it only for access to land and property which is situated on it. That includes visitors to the Roman Lakes, but not the off-road motorbikes which hurtle round the tracks in the Goyt Valley, some of which are BOATS, of course.
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Not sure what action that would be. AFAIK the only legally enforceable speed limit on a bridleway is the National Speed Limit (60 mph).
My horse has a pretty nippy turn of speed but I doubt even he could manage 60mph! ;D
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Get one thing straight. If Marple Lakes want to make up the road up to a standard suitable for cars fair enough, if they don't, they deserve to go broke and should close the place down and stop whingeing but they should not expect the ordinary ratepayers of Marple to pay a fortune to feather their nest by providing the funds to build a metalled road along the long private road to their business when Council money and resources for the repair of roads is so scarce we had to sit in traffic jams and wait for months for the repair of Marple Road at Shearwater Road. The Council has a legal responsibility to ensure that Marple Road is maintained to a standard appropriate for vehicles: council staff have absolutely no legal remit to sqaunder local authority funds making the private road to the Roman Lakes up to a standard appropriate for vehicles: making this route accessible to vehicles is a decision which is entirely in the hands of Roman lakes and the other owners of properties adjacent to this road. If Roman Lakes want a road suitable for vehicles they do exactly the same as the developers who have just built the new estate off Cross Lane: they construct a new metalled road to link their business to the existing adopted road network and then go through the standard legal procedure of constructing an appropriate surface on what is currently a private road and then proving that the road has been made to a high standard suitable for the HGVs which deliver to the site. Only then can they apply for the Council to change the status of the highway to adopted highway and ask Stockport MBC to assume responsibility for maintaining the surface of the new vehicular highway.
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Could I ask where is your evidence that the Roman Lakes has been 'whingeing'. I can't find it on this thread.
I am at the Roman Lakes most days. Very rarely am I the only person there. Some weekends the place is absolutely heaving so why do 'they deserve to go broke and should close the place down'. There are obviously a lot of people prepared to travel there either by foot or car.
I take it, by the tone of your thread, that you do not go to the Roman Lakes, which if true I am very pleased about. I love it there and meet some lovely people there. I don't want that to be spoilt.
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The evidence was the notices placed on the trees on Lakes Road near to Roman Lakes telling motorists who were dissatisfied with the state of the surface to ring Stockport Council to complain. The state of the vehicular access to the Lakes has got absolutely nothing to do with Stockport Council: walkers, horseriders and cyclists have a legal right to use bridleway 118 Marple at Roman Lakes but the route is also at the same time a 'Private Road' ie a private vehicular route which can be used by vehicles gaining access to Roman Lakes (and to other properties and land in the valley). The landowner makes up his own mind whether he wishes to make the road up to a standard suitable for usage by vehicles and it is not the responsibility of the Stockport ratepayer to renovate the route to a standard appropriate for vehicular access to the business at Roman Lakes
With a name like 'marplerambler' I have a great love for and know the public rights of way in Marple very well and visit or pass the Roman Lakes regularly (on foot). What I do find saddening is that the huge volume of vehicular traffic on this bridleway accessing the business at Roman Lakes tears the track to pieces but Roman Lakes do not seem to bother to maintain the private road to ensure that customers accessing their business have an easy and comfortable drive to the Lakes.
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when Council money and resources for the repair of roads is so scarce we had to sit in traffic jams and wait for months for the repair of Marple Road at Shearwater Road.
Just to be clear Rambler this work your refer to and which caused us all some delays was nothing whatsoever to do with the Council. Heavy rain had damaged a retaining wall under the road at this point and that was/is the responsibility of United Utilities, a private company, they undertook the work caused the delays and paid for it.
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Marple Rambler - The more I think about your comments about the Roman Lakes, the more angry I am getting. The Roman Lakes are privately owned, the owners are lovely people who work really hard. I am sure they, more than anyone, would love the road to have a perfect surface. To state that they should 'do exactly the same as the developers who have just built the new estate off Cross Lane and construct a new metalled road to link their business to the existing adopted road network' is talking totally stupid. You cannot compare the financial abilities of the business at the Roman Lakes to the developers of the new estate at Cross Lane. That is almost like comparing the financial clout of Doodfield Stores to Sainsburys.
You say that you visit the Roman Lakes, well I don't know how you can have the nerve after commenting that they 'deserve to go broke and should close the place down'. I will be at the Roman Lakes today and will draw their attention to this thread and particularly your comments. Obviously the members of the Marple Web are only know by their usernames, in some circumstances that is a pity as I would hope if the Roman Lakes knew who you are they would ban you from visiting again due to your nasty comments. Mind you, by the sound of you you are probably one of the people who just call in to use the toilets the Roman Lakes provide and then spend nothing, thereby making it even harder for them to do anything about the road.
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Blossom makes some good points, and I can appreciate why she obviously feels strongly. Barnard and his daughter do their best within their limited means to patch up the road, and once or twice a year you'll find them out with a load of gravel filling in potholes, but that is only ever a temporary solution.
In the longer term maybe the Our Valley group, which has already been successful in attracting some external funding, might be able to secure funds to have the road made up to an adoptable standard by SMBC. But I realise that not everyone would want that, of course.
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Right Marple Rambler - In your first post you stated 'Get one thing straight. If Marple Lakes want to make up the road up to a standard suitable for cars fair enough, if they don't, they deserve to go broke and should close the place down and stop whingeing but they should not expect the ordinary ratepayers of Marple to pay a fortune to feather their nest by providing the funds to build a metalled road along the long private road to their business'. I asked you for evidence that they had been 'wingeing' and in your second post you stated that 'the evidence was the notices placed on the trees on Lakes Road near to Roman Lakes telling motorists who were dissatisfied with the state of the surface to ring Stockport Council to complain'.
Well, I would like to 'get one thing straight' now. Although I already knew this I decided to get concrete confirmation that I was right and now I have it. It was not the Roman Lakes who posted these notices on the trees. I know the person who posted these notices and it was most definitely not the Roman Lakes, they had no part in posting these notices whatsoever. Nor do they expect the ordinary ratepayers of Marple to pay a fortune to feather their nest.
As you obviously did not bother to get your facts straight before posting detrimental comments about the Roman Lakes on this forum, will you now have the decency to post an apology to the Roman Lakes on here for them to read. They are aware of your previous comments.
Whilst you are at it, perhaps you will also apologise for your appalling comments that they deserve to go broke and should close the place down. There was a very lengthy thread on here about Asda opening on Hibbert Lane and a lot of people were concerned about it affecting other businesses in Marple which may then be forced to close. Yet you feel that a local business, who's owners do nothing but work hard to provide a service to people, deserve to go broke and should close down. You are unbelievable.
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Of course Blossom we only have your word the notices which I can understand made people angry were posted by a 3rd party.
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I remember those notices posted on trees by Lakes Road, two or three years ago, complaining about the state of the road and the supposed failure of SMBC to do anything about it, despite the fact that as it's a bridleway it was never the council's job to maintain it to any higher standard. I must say, having previously discussed the matter on occasion with people from the Roman Lakes, and knowing that the notices reflected their point of view, I had jumped to the conclusion that they had posted the notices. I'm amazed to learn that this was not the case, but as true gentlemen, wheels and I must accept Blossom's word for it ;)
The notices were perfectly harmless, and I can't see how they could possibly have made anyone 'angry'.
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The way I understand it - and forgive me if I'm misguided on the subject - I've only skimmed past posts...
If the road is the property of the Roman Lakes, then they need to pay for the upkeep.
If the road is the property of the council and is a bridle way, they should maintain it in line with it's intended use.
If the council own it, and maintain it as a bridle way, but the RL want it maintained in a different way then this should come from their own budget, not the public purse. The benefits of an improved infrastructure/access point would after all (in theory) enhance their amenity - which obviously brings increased revenue.
From personal experience very clear lines have to be drawn when good causes and private enterprise meet.
Maybe they could work with the council and 'earn' some road improvements - there are many Local Authority divisions that could benefit from the fantastic facilities there - teach school children to fish is one very basic example, not to mention Local History, visits for disabled SMBC service users, the list is not exhaustive.
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Of course Blossom we only have your word the notices which I can understand made people angry were posted by a 3rd party.
I don't tell lies, I never tell lies. The Roman Lakes know who posted the notices, even my next door neighbour knows who it was. It appears to be common knowledge in the area. I don't think it is a secret in any way, I don't even think the person who did it is bothered about people knowing, I just do not think it is right for me to name them on this forum. Hopefully you will meet someone soon who knows and then you will know I am telling the complete truth.
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Am I the only one who is fed up with the nastiness and backbiting which is going on in this forum? I don't get down to the Roman Lakes as often as I would like, but it is very nice down there and I wish them well. I agree the road is awful, but the vindictiveness recently shown is most distasteful. Nuff said - I will shut up now!
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The law relating to adopted highways (roads maintained by the Council or Highways Agency) and public rights of way (public footpaths, bridleways etc) can be very complicated (and my comments here are not comprehensive: they are very general guidelines but not a statement of the law). Very few roads are built on land owned by a local authority or the Highways Agency (examples could be motorways or new bypasses). It is usually the case that if you own a house adjacent to a road maintained by the council your property deeds will show that you own the land to a point about half way across the road and the property opposite will own the opposite side of the road. The complication is that the surface has a legal status of being 'Queens Highway' so your deeds may show that own the land but the reality can be that the a person, a horse, a bicycle, a car or any other mechanically propelled vehicle may have a right of passage along the surface (just who can use the route is determined by highway law). Many people do not realise that it is not the Council who pays for the construction of new roads when new estates are built, it is the developer who foots the bill for the cost of the new roads and this cost is part of and included in total cost of your new house. The developer has to have planning permission to build the new road and most importantly, if the developer wants the council to assume the responsibility of maintaining the road the developer has to prove that it has been built to specified standards.
Things can be a lot more complicated on rural lanes and it can often be the case that the land on which some of the very old roads are built does not seem have an owner. Before 1835 landowners were required to pay tax to the parish (a tithe) on all land used for agriculture. The complication was that horse and carts were already using tracks known as 'ancient highways' across or at the edge of the fields. The landowner said 'I am not able to use the strip of land used as a road for agricultural purposes and refused to pay tax (the tithe) on it by renouncing ownership. No one else would want this land because it could not be farmed if horse and carts used it as a through route. The tithes were abolished when the whole system of building and funding roads needed to be changed in response to the industrial revolution
Just who owns the land below the surface of the tracks to Roman Lakes I do not know: this could be found out by paying for a legal landsearch. I think that you can be pretty sure that it isn't Stockport Council. During the nineteen hundreds the Council assumed responsibility for the maintenance of many urban roads but a strange twist of fate was that some houseowners who lived in the wealthiest residential roads objected to the council building a surface on what was the private road to their properties because once the road was built by and maintained by the council every car owner irregardless of whether they were accessing premises on route could use it. These are now the very roads with houses which may have three or four cars in the driveway. If the residents now want the road to be maintained with a metalled by the local council they first have to get council approval and then share the costs of building the road between existing residents.
In 1949 the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act gave walkers and horseriders the legal right to walk on existing footpaths or ride existing bridleways across private property (hence the term Right of Way) if the route had been used continuously used without objection from the landowner for the preceding twenty years The map of public rights of way is a legal document called the 'Definitive Map'. This map shows Lakes Road from its junction with Bottoms Mill Road to have the legal status of a bridleway. The bridge across the River Goyt is a public footpath which them goes up the side of the hill through the wood and across the railway to Strines Road.
Just what the way forward is for the Roman Lakes I really do not know. Vehicular access is difficult because of the width and weight restrictions on Low Lea Road at Marple Bridge. I am a voluntary Footpath Officer for Ramblers Association in another area but I think that I can safely say that Ramblers, Peak and Northern Footpath Society, Stockport East Bridleways Association and the Open spaces Society and many other environmental groups would fight any application to upgrade the route to encourage even more vehicles to drive in the valley. The area is one of Stockport's greatest assets and an upgrading of the road could lead to many more cars, possible housing development and ultimately the destruction of the beauty and peace of the area.
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All this might be very interesting, but I don't see your apology for accusing the Roman Lakes of doing something they have not done, or for your saying they deserve to go broke and should close the place down.
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Am I the only one who is fed up with the nastiness and backbiting which is going on in this forum? I don't get down to the Roman Lakes as often as I would like, but it is very nice down there and I wish them well. I agree the road is awful, but the vindictiveness recently shown is most distasteful. Nuff said - I will shut up now!
I am sure you would not feel this way if the comments made about the Roman Lakes had been made about you. I am sure you would defend yourself.
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I am sure you would not feel this way if the comments made about the Roman Lakes had been made about you. I am sure you would defend yourself.
Edited to add: All I want is an apology for the Roman Lakes from marplerambler. At the end of the day they are a local business who work really hard. They should be supported, not be told they deserve to go broke and should close the place down over things they have not done or said.
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The area is one of Stockport's greatest assets and an upgrading of the road could lead to many more cars, possible housing development and ultimately the destruction of the beauty and peace of the area.
Well I didn't read the whole post, but the last sentence made me laugh... Fill in some potholes and we'll suddenly have Mill Green 2 built down there? :D
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Am I the only one who is fed up with the nastiness and backbiting which is going on in this forum?
I've been finding it rather entertaining. Much more interesting than the shortcomings of the CO-OP.
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Am I the only one who is fed up with the nastiness and backbiting which is going on in this forum?
This forum is a paragon of tact, discretion and pleasantness compared to the vast majority of the Internet. Just have a quick look on the comments for almost any YouTube video as an example.
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Well, thanks to the contributors for the practical issues behind the access road. I think we've comfortably established that the road is in a very poor state of repair, and the reasons why it remains so.
Presumably lottery funding is out of the question if there are issues behind the land ownership?
Otherwise perhaps the valley friends can be the focus point for things to start happening. Who knows, we might even see the road repaired before they finish those ridiculous roadworks on Strines Road.
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Presumably lottery funding is out of the question if there are issues behind the land ownership?
The 'Our Valley' group have been successful in securing small grants (a few hundred pounds at the most) from several trusts and foundation, such as the Woodland Trust, for various small projects: planting, signage, making the Jubilee Gateway etc.
I think Melancholy is right to assume that lottery funding would probably not be available for upgrading Lakes Road, but that would not be because of any 'issues' over land ownership. The ownership of the land either side of the road is clear and well-known: the lakes and their immediate surrounds are owned by the Roman Lakes, and the grazing land is owned by Old Hall Farm.
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Contributors to this thread may be interested to learn that the road to the Roman Lakes benefited from some serious pothole-filling earlier this week. :)
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Good news!
I hope no private land has been repaired at cost to the public?
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Good news!
I hope no private land has been repaired at cost to the public?
If it was it doesn't sound as though it was an expensive repair. And anyway, if the public wish to use the RL as a place of recreation then why shouldn't the public contribute? There aren't many privately owned places that the public can enjoy free of charge within walking distance of the centre of Marple and last time I was there the RL was "free to roam". We aren't even obliged to buy a cup of tea.
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If it was it doesn't sound as though it was an expensive repair. And anyway, if the public wish to use the RL as a place of recreation then why shouldn't the public contribute? There aren't many privately owned places that the public can enjoy free of charge within walking distance of the centre of Marple and last time I was there the RL was "free to roam". We aren't even obliged to buy a cup of tea.
Went down there this afternoon on the way home. The repairs are very basic (but welcome) and short term I think. Motorway surface it ain't being mainly coarse gravel. You certainly won't be roaring down there at 80mph as it's still a bit uneven but heaps better than it was.
It had been raining so I was almost alone and it was lovely and quiet. To my surprise, it being a weekday, the café was open and I sat and watched a variety of ducks, coots, barnacle geese and a very aloof peacock who looked down his nose at me in a very superior manner. Not extensive parking but the walk down there is very pleasant now the surface is a bit better and you could easily cycle down.