Marple Website Community Calendar
Archive => Archived Boards => Local Issues => Topic started by: CTCREP on March 15, 2018, 03:23:45 PM
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The path over the railway bridge in Brabyns Park is virtually closed to anyone with a push chair, cycle etc. A tree has fallen down by the bridge, and although some branches have been cut off, presumably for railway safety, there has been no attempt to make a passage through for encumbered pedestrians.
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I reported this to the 'contracts manager' in the site office in Brabyns Park Yesterday.
He said he would email the tree officer.
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The path has now been cleared.
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I am told that the path which comes out just above the station, which is a much more pleasant way of going there than by the busy road, is currently almost unusable due to mud. There would appear to be problems with the drainage.
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I am told that the path which comes out just above the station, which is a much more pleasant way of going there than by the busy road, is currently almost unusable due to mud. There would appear to be problems with the drainage.
If you are referring to the path which leaves the car park and runs alongside the railway to Brabyns Brow, then it is usable as I walked along it on Wednesday and there was hardly any mud on it.
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I mean the narrow path just below the tennis courts and alongside the railway on the upper side. It was apparently extremely muddy yesterday but I have not seen it myself.
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I understand that some money has been set aside to improve footpaths in Stockport. Quite obviously to those of us who live in the vicinity of Brabyns Park many of the footpaths are in dire need of improvement. For many years I have been trying to get the route from Compstall through the Park improved with little result apart from a few odd patches of major puddles. At a recent meeting with Stockport's Green Space Manager his opinion of the path from the Iron Bridge up to the pavilion is that it is
"Aesthetically Pleasing" !!!
The route from Compstall through to the Station and beyond should be useable by everyday pedestrians, particularly as we are supposed to be encouraging walking instead of driving to a station with limited parking.
Hopefully everyone will make this clear to our Councillors who should instruct the Council on where the priories lie so we don't find relatively obscure footpaths made "Aesthetically Pleasing" and we still have to plough through the mud to get to Marple.
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I understand that some money has been set aside to improve footpaths in Stockport. Quite obviously to those of us who live in the vicinity of Brabyns Park many of the footpaths are in dire need of improvement. For many years I have been trying to get the route from Compstall through the Park improved with little result apart from a few odd patches of major puddles. At a recent meeting with Stockport's Green Space Manager his opinion of the path from the Iron Bridge up to the pavilion is that it is
"Aesthetically Pleasing" !!!
The route from Compstall through to the Station and beyond should be useable by everyday pedestrians, particularly as we are supposed to be encouraging walking instead of driving to a station with limited parking.
Hopefully everyone will make this clear to our Councillors who should instruct the Council on where the priories lie so we don't find relatively obscure footpaths made "Aesthetically Pleasing" and we still have to plough through the mud to get to Marple.
There is not enough people use it who wants to walk through there at night .never mind day time .
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Of course nobody wants to use it in its present condition, although many still do. However I know of at least one person who is happy to cycle from the Compstall end to the Pavilion in the Park during the summer but not when it is full of mud and puddles, and so now drives from the Compstall Rd entrance to the park down to Marple Bridge and back up to the Pavilion. I am not aware of any other urban park in Stockport where the main routes through the park are in such unacceptable condition.
Please do not fall into the trap of thinking that if no one uses it now (which is untrue) therefore no one will use it if it were improved.
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Of course nobody wants to use it in its present condition, although many still do. However I know of at least one person who is happy to cycle from the Compstall end to the Pavilion in the Park during the summer but not when it is full of mud and puddles, and so now drives from the Compstall Rd entrance to the park down to Marple Bridge and back up to the Pavilion. I am not aware of any other urban park in Stockport where the main routes through the park are in such unacceptable condition.
Please do not fall into the trap of thinking that if no one uses it now (which is untrue) therefore no one will use it if it were improved.
But how many do you think will use it if its improved .how many will want to go to the station for the 7.30 train on a dark morning winter through Brabyns . not many if any at all .
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But how many do you think will use it if its improved .how many will want to go to the station for the 7.30 train on a dark morning winter through Brabyns . not many if any at all .
Probably more than you’d expect. But what odd reasoning not to want a path maintained!
Having walked the tennis courts path last summer, and vowed never to do so again, I can imagine it is pretty muddy. Also incredibly narrow with overgrown trees (hard to even pass someone walking the other way).
A good solution to the station’s poor access would be to build a new path leading from the Brabyns Park bridge down to the back of the ticket office. This would totally open up the station for cycling in particular, allowing you to get there while completely avoiding Brabyns Brow. Anyone want to try and get Network Rail onboard? ;D :o
No, it might not be excessively used on a dark winter morning, but if it’s well used for even half the year, removing cars from the roads and that damn useless car park, then these things should absolutely be progressed...
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Hello
Having had a recent conversation with Stockport Officials re Brabyns Park paths I have been told that they are considering improving the surface of the section of path from near the Pavilion down to the Iron Bridge. With typical lack of understanding they will not upgrade Rollins Lane that leads through to Compstall Road at the same time. They may fill in a few potholes which will be of only minor benefit as the surface is unsuitable for people walking in ordinary everyday shoes.
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Hello
Having had a recent conversation with Stockport Officials re Brabyns Park paths I have been told that they are considering improving the surface of the section of path from near the Pavilion down to the Iron Bridge. With typical lack of understanding they will not upgrade Rollins Lane that leads through to Compstall Road at the same time. They may fill in a few potholes which will be of only minor benefit as the surface is unsuitable for people walking in ordinary everyday shoes.
Rollins lane is not that bad
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Hello Amazon, you seem to miss the point. Why only upgrade half the length of the path from Compstall Rd into Brabyns Park? Not that bad? It really depends on your standards, I wouldn't want to use it to walk to the station to get to work. I even know someone who, once the rains begin then drives down to Marple Bridge and then through Brabyns Park in order to go to Yoga.
The Council has provided finance for the upgrading of several footpaths and bridleways in the Mellor Strines area that are of direct benefit to, I suspect, less than a dozen people, and in comparison these paths etc don't really lead anywhere compared to Rollins Lane that leads to Marple Station, Marple Bridge, Marple Hall School etc etc. If you haven't seen the Mellor/Strines provision you should go there, just walk towards Strines from Roman Lakes I estimate they have upgraded a combined total of at least ½ mile of footpaths and bridleways in that area. Rollins Lane is probably about 300 yards long and used by ten times the number living in the Mellor Strines area and there could be considerably more if it were brought up to the standard of the Mellor Strines provision. Why the Council continually refuse to cater for Compstall residents is beyond my comprehension.
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Hello Amazon, you seem to miss the point. Why only upgrade half the length of the path from Compstall Rd into Brabyns Park? Not that bad? It really depends on your standards, I wouldn't want to use it to walk to the station to get to work. I even know someone who, once the rains begin then drives down to Marple Bridge and then through Brabyns Park in order to go to Yoga.
The Council has provided finance for the upgrading of several footpaths and bridleways in the Mellor Strines area that are of direct benefit to, I suspect, less than a dozen people, and in comparison these paths etc don't really lead anywhere compared to Rollins Lane that leads to Marple Station, Marple Bridge, Marple Hall School etc etc. If you haven't seen the Mellor/Strines provision you should go there, just walk towards Strines from Roman Lakes I estimate they have upgraded a combined total of at least ½ mile of footpaths and bridleways in that area. Rollins Lane is probably about 300 yards long and used by ten times the number living in the Mellor Strines area and there could be considerably more if it were brought up to the standard of the Mellor Strines provision. Why the Council continually refuse to cater for Compstall residents is beyond my comprehension.
Just how many times do you have to be told that Rollins Lane IS A PRIVATE ROAD!!!! but bridleway rights exist along this track. SMBC has a statutory obligation to ensure that the route is accessible to pedestrians and horses but this route is a public right of way: this legal designation is very different to that of a footway/pavement adjacent to an adopted road maintained by the Council so the standard to which it is maintained is very different. It is not unreasonable that this route or any bridleway becomes muddy at times: all public footpaths become muddy if it has been raining unless the landowner choses to improve the surface. SMBC has absolutely no legal authority to upgrade this surface without the express permission of the landowners. The landowner has the right to choose whether he/she wishes to upgrade this private road which provides vehicular access to adjacent fields/properties. If you do not wish to get your shoes or your bike muddy the solution is very simple - you use the main road if you are a cyclist or the pavement if you are a pedestrian but for heavens sake stop making this same comment again and again when you know that you speak total nonsense. THE COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO UPGRADE THIS ROUTE WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE LANDOWNER/S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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THE COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO UPGRADE THIS ROUTE WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE LANDOWNER/S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is the implication that SMBC have asked, and the landowner said no?
If not, then CTREP's point stands. Sorting out Rollins Lane would be more beneficial to more people (even if it is technically a private road) than many of the other "improvements" they've made recently.
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Just how many times do you have to be told that Rollins Lane IS A PRIVATE ROAD!!!!
Who is the landowner of Rollins Lane then?
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Is the implication that SMBC have asked, and the landowner said no?
If not, then CTREP's point stands. Sorting out Rollins Lane would be more beneficial to more people (even if it is technically a private road) than many of the other "improvements" they've made recently.
Would you walk through there on dark night if you have been working late in town .youl be wanting kerbs an lights instaled next .
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Who is the landowner of Rollins Lane then?
A request to HM Land Registry Department should indicate ownership of land but ownership of the land but it is completely irrelevant in the context of using it as a public highway. If the land is a legally recorded public right of way ie it is shown on the two legal documents (i) the definitive map of public rights of way in Stockport and (ii) the definitive statement of public rights of way in Stockport the route has a status of 'Queens Highway' in this case with a legal status of bridleway the public have a legal right to walk, ride a horse or ride a bicycle along the route NB the driver of a motor vehicle using the route is trespassing if he uses the route without the landowners permission. There are rare occasions when the land does not have a legal owner. This reason for this is usually historical - it used to be the case that tithes ie a tax on land which could be used for agriculture were levied on land in the distant past. If the land was crossed by a track which was regularly used by pedestrians, horses, stagecoaches or horsedrawn carts thus making it impractical to obtain produce from the land the owner stated that he revolved legal ownership of the land to avoid paying this tax. It is usually the case that the route crosses a landowner's property. It is nearly always the case that if you live on a street with a house opposite the boundary of your land is half way across the street and the house facing owns the other half but because the highway lies between your garden wall and the wall of the house opposite the complete width of the road. If the route serves the purpose of being both a right of way for pedestrians/horses and it is also the farm driveway or access to land the owner of the land decides if he wishes to construct a surface suitable for vehicles. Owners of private roads (which are sometimes also public bridleways) such as Rollins Lane often do not want to risk making it easier for vehicles to use the routes illegally because there is the ever present danger of theft of livestock or cowboy builders reversing in during the night to dump lorry loads of building waste or dumping used tyres (this happens a great deal more than most people realise).
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Owners of private roads (which are sometimes also public bridleways) such as Rollins Lane often do not want to risk making it easier for vehicles to use the routes illegally because there is the ever present danger of theft of livestock or cowboy builders reversing in during the night to dump lorry loads of building waste or dumping used tyres (this happens a great deal more than most people realise).
The Marple Website has a new story about the theft of the York Stone paving flags from Marple Memorial Park. Another great problem can be trucks getting along lanes in darkness and stealing entire walls of gritstone. A few years ago I met someone in New Mills with a large six foot high dry stone wall beneath the end of her garden down to the road. At lunchtime a neighbour passed to see that the whole wall had been stolen overnight and she had not heard a sound. This is another reason why landowners may not want the road to be made up to a high standard: if the surface of the track causes the truck to rattle a bit the dogs which are invariably on the rural/semi-rural properties will hear the noise and start barking. Construct a high quality road surface and the trucks can access the land much more quietly during the night.
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The Marple Website has a new story about the theft of the York Stone paving flags from Marple Memorial Park. Another great problem can be trucks getting along lanes in darkness and stealing entire walls of gritstone. A few years ago I met someone in New Mills with a large six foot high dry stone wall beneath the end of her garden down to the road. At lunchtime a neighbour passed to see that the whole wall had been stolen overnight and she had not heard a sound. This is another reason why landowners may not want the road to be made up to a high standard: if the surface of the track causes the truck to rattle a bit the dogs which are invariably on the rural/semi-rural properties will hear the noise and start barking. Construct a high quality road surface and the trucks can access the land much more quietly during the night.
And fly tip. cowlisher brow a load tiped there last week
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So Marple Rambler believes the present surface is sufficiently uneven that it makes vehicles rattle and bounce about enough to wake the neighbours thus deterring fly tippers. Really? Yet Marple Rambler also thinks the surface is perfectly adequate for ordinary pedestrians. There is some double thinking here.
Of course if fly tipping were a problem, and as far as I am aware it hasn’t been up till now, then there is a simple, though slightly inconvenient , answer to that which is to have a lockable central post somewhere, a solution often used by landowners to prevent vehicular access.
We are yet to be told who the landowner is. I suspect that it is not known, or at least the result of a bungled arrangement when Stockport Council took over responsibility for Brabyns Park. When trying to get Rollins Lane useable by ordinary pedestrians I have frequently been told Rollins Lane is a bridleway. That being so then it can have the same treatment as the bridleways in the Mellor Strines area. There is no way that the previous owners of Brabyns Park would have had the Iron Bridge constructed without ensuring they had permanent access rights along Rollins Lane. I agree that in those days access was by horse and cart, but do we really want Stockport to remain in the Nineteenth Century?
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A report from Friends of Brabyns Park says:-
Works are to be undertaken in Brabyns Park to resurface the footpath between the Brabyns Recreation Centre and the Iron Bridge. The contractors carrying out the work will be on site for three weeks from 19th March 2019, establishing a small compound in the Recreation Centre car park.
It is good to know this section is to be improved so that you can go down to admire the Iron Bridge and adjacent information post.
But more importantly, that is all you can do without getting covered in mud and worse. There is no logic behind choosing not to upgrade Rollins Lane so that Compstall residents can walk to the station etc, and visitors to the area, finding Brabyns Park, could continue onward to Etherow Country Park.
Please contact anyone who can bring Stockport Council to recognise the illogicality of their ways.
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A report from Friends of Brabyns Park says:-
Works are to be undertaken in Brabyns Park to resurface the footpath between the Brabyns Recreation Centre and the Iron Bridge. The contractors carrying out the work will be on site for three weeks from 19th March 2019, establishing a small compound in the Recreation Centre car park.
It is good to know this section is to be improved so that you can go down to admire the Iron Bridge and adjacent information post.
But more importantly, that is all you can do without getting covered in mud and worse. There is no logic behind choosing not to upgrade Rollins Lane so that Compstall residents can walk to the station etc, and visitors to the area, finding Brabyns Park, could continue onward to Etherow Country Park.
Please contact anyone who can bring Stockport Council to recognise the illogicality of their ways.
ITS a private road .
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Why do you continually go on but Rolling Lane, you have been told many many times by both council officers, elected members and member of the public here that Rolling Lane is in private ownership and the local authority does not have the fund to upgrade it. Further for ever private road you lobby to have upgraded what you are really suggesting is that the public funds should be diverted from using for the public good on public roads to just benefit the owners of private roads. It is wilfully ignorant to continue to ignore the answer you have been given dozens of times.
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In case there be any doubt, ANY DOUBT at all, this link gives you a map of all the adopted roads that Stockport council has responsibility for.
https://www.stockport.gov.uk/private-streets-and-road-adoption
Anyone looking at this map can quickly see that Rollins Lane is not the responsibility of the council. It does not have any legal responsibility - NOR LEGAL RIGHT - to maintain that road.
Even if - for some reason - they decided they wanted to upgrade Rollins Lane, they do not have ANY legal right to do so. The people responsible for the maintenance of Rollins Lane are the owners of Rollins Lane. Whoever they may be. The council cannot - will not - do anything. The council doing anything to Rollins Lane would be equivalent of the Council marching into my privately owned house and deciding to redo my kitchen. CTCREP, you may be happy with the council walking in to my house and re-doing my kitchen. But I am certainly not.
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In case there be any doubt, ANY DOUBT at all, this link gives you a map of all the adopted roads that Stockport council has responsibility for.
https://www.stockport.gov.uk/private-streets-and-road-adoption
Anyone looking at this map can quickly see that Rollins Lane is not the responsibility of the council. It does not have any legal responsibility - NOR LEGAL RIGHT - to maintain that road.
Serious question (and this I think is actually CTCREP's point), what is stopping Stockport Council from adopting Rollins Lane so that it can maintain it?
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Serious question (and this I think is actually CTCREP's point), what is stopping Stockport Council from adopting Rollins Lane so that it can maintain it?
Most important is that the owner must want the road to be adopted, and do the paperwork.
But also important is that the road must be of a suitable standard. I.e. adoption is not a way to get the council to fix problems. It has to be in a good state before.
Certainly it will cost to bring it up to spec for adoption.
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Well all these comments should stop CTCREP (an organisation that no longer exists in that name anyway) calling for Rolling Lane to be upgraded for at least a month.
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As the road acts is a highway and is available for use by the public (i.e it is not gated or closed for public use at any time), SMBC could (if they felt it necessary and dangerous) upgrade the route to a suitable standard, despite it being a private road. All highway authorities have these powers. They could also adopt as part of the same process.
One can only assume that they do not feel that the potential for users to geta bit muddy warrants the use of such powers or the costs that it would entail.
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Had a look at the adopted highways map. Notable that the road through Windybottom Farm, Strines isn’t an adopted highway but this didn’t stop Stockport MBC spending a load of funding on an expensive Flexipave resurfacing last year to fix long-standing flooding and mud issues.
That’s because it’s also a public right if way, a bridleway. Like Rollins Lane.
So CTCREP probably has a point if the condition of Rollins Lane is a barrier to people using it. Maybe just go and read something else if you don’t care for the subject. And CTCREP, write to your councillors again.
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Strangely RSH I have just done that, at least to a potential Councillor who is about to have a meeting with Council officials concerning roads and who has promised to bring up the subject.
Let us hope she will not simply accept whatever excuse the Council has for not catering for those who want to use Rollins Lane as an acceptable off road route between Compstall and Marple and who wish to support the Government's desire to encourage walking and cycling.
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Strangely RSH I have just done that, at least to a potential Councillor who is about to have a meeting with Council officials concerning roads and who has promised to bring up the subject.
Let us hope she will not simply accept whatever excuse the Council has for not catering for those who want to use Rollins Lane as an acceptable off road route between Compstall and Marple and who wish to support the Government's desire to encourage walking and cycling.
Ask him about the Bridge at the keg thats still not been done .thats a walking route .
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I have met with Cllr Gribbon and prospective Cllr Senior who have promised to look into the situation concerning Rollins Lane. At the time I was unaware that the Council appear only to have patched a section of the path in Brabyns Park which within a year is likely to be just as bad as it was before. As has been mentioned previously, the Council have spent a large proportion of a Flood Repair Grant on little used bridleways and footpaths in the Mellor Strines area that are simply suffering from normal erosion, whereas the path in Brabyns does suffer from flooding but which the Council does not consider worth improving properly.
During the same discussion I raised the problem of the bridge by Keg Pool. That too they will consider. Shortly after the meeting I went up to see the current situation concerning the bridge. I met a member of the Friends of Etherow Country Park who said they had been told that heavy lifting gear would be needed to reposition the bridge. (This is the standard ploy of the Council, find the most expensive way of doing anything and then say they can't afford it). As I saw that the bridge had been dragged out of the mud, but taken no further, I later respectively suggested to Cllr Gribbon that perhaps, as a fireman, he could get three others of his colleagues to put the bridge back in place. Otherwise any similar group of fit people could do it for us. Any offers?
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While composing my previous reply an email must have been on the way from Stockport's Neighbourhood Officer saying:-
Thank you for your continued interest in Rollins Lane.
However, nothing has changed since we last discussed either the availability and prioritisation of funding or the works that are planned in/around Brabyns Park.
The works to the footpath in the park between the Recreation Centre and the Iron Bridge are not yet complete, the entire length will be improved. The path is also being raised in the section highlighted in the attached photos (shown here when in flood).
The route between Brabyns Park Car Park and the Recreation Centre and also on the unadopted stretch of Rollins Lane beyond the Iron Bridge will have the potholes filled and levelled.
With regards,
So some good news, and an apology for assuming the present patch was all that was going to be done. But, when walking through Brabyns Park you reach the Iron Bridge you can go no further if you don't want to get muddy. We still have to get Rollins Lane surfaced properly if we are to make any real improvement to the area.
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I have met with Cllr Gribbon and prospective Cllr Senior who have promised to look into the situation concerning Rollins Lane. At the time I was unaware that the Council appear only to have patched a section of the path in Brabyns Park which within a year is likely to be just as bad as it was before. As has been mentioned previously, the Council have spent a large proportion of a Flood Repair Grant on little used bridleways and footpaths in the Mellor Strines area that are simply suffering from normal erosion, whereas the path in Brabyns does suffer from flooding but which the Council does not consider worth improving properly.
During the same discussion I raised the problem of the bridge by Keg Pool. That too they will consider. Shortly after the meeting I went up to see the current situation concerning the bridge. I met a member of the Friends of Etherow Country Park who said they had been told that heavy lifting gear would be needed to reposition the bridge. (This is the standard ploy of the Council, find the most expensive way of doing anything and then say they can't afford it). As I saw that the bridge had been dragged out of the mud, but taken no further, I later respectively suggested to Cllr Gribbon that perhaps, as a fireman, he could get three others of his colleagues to put the bridge back in place. Otherwise any similar group of fit people could do it for us. Any offers?
Thanks for info lifting gear required load of .........six men at least to move only wants lifting across and fixing so it cant be washed away again .then i supose it will need a hand rail
elf and safety .i was down there yesterday took some photos .
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I’m more than happy to muck in and help out with the bridge if it means getting this sorted.
Steve.
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Thanks Steve
I believe it is still attached by one chain so that it can't float away too far, but once in place it really needs better security. Nothing more than a bit of chain etc and a battery powered drill needed to sort it.
If in the mood, then the Council's redundant irritating barriers could be used to reinforce the embankment on the riverside path.
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Thanks Steve
I believe it is still attached by one chain so that it can't float away too far, but once in place it really needs better security. Nothing more than a bit of chain etc and a battery powered drill needed to sort it.
If in the mood, then the Council's redundant irritating barriers could be used to reinforce the embankment on the riverside path.
A thank you to steve from me as well .a few burly firemen .should sort.