Otterspool Road

[ringi]

I have yet to find a safe way to walk to the Hare & Hounds from Marple, due to missing footpaths and no safe crossing.

[rsh]

Hi Lily

I'm in total agreement with you, I spoke to A Councilor about this the other day and will be visiting the site next week to see what options are available. It's no longer a grass verge and needs attention.

Kind regards

Steve

I hate to suggest getting rid of greenery but in reality it might make sense to surface over the grass and just have shared paths on either side. It really is a nasty road in both directions. And then, as Lily says, they should look at the section on Dooley Lane nearing the Dan Bank lights to link all these routes together. Again here there’s a grass verge opposite the Hare & Hounds with only the most useless narrow footpath. No wonder there’s always a massive queue of people in their cars, who’d want to try it any other way?

[badger]

The Bridalway to Strines has been resurfaced with monies put by, for flood damage from last year's floods, after new drains were put in by Freinds of your Valley.

[Dave]

if you walk between Roman Lakes and Strines, a section that I must admit really needed looking at just beyond Windybottom farm is now like this  

Oh, that footpath (bridleway actually)! Yes, there is work going on there, also the path between the Roman Bridge and Strines Road. But those are not in Mellor, they are in Strines.  And they aren't 'obscure' either! 

[CTCREP]

I note the photo hasn't appeared. I tried using a Dropbox file, This is now uploading a desktop file to the Insert Image option

 If it doesn't work can Mark give me instructions.  Thanks

I've added the photo to your original post below. There was a dot missing in the file name so the board was not recognising the file type. Admin.

[CTCREP]

Dave said As regular users of obscure footpaths in Mellor, my dog and I can assure CTREP that none of them have recently been upgraded. I can think of a few that need it though!  However if you walk between Roman Lakes and Strines, a section that I must admit really needed looking at just beyond Windybottom farm is now like this   Hopefully a picture will appear, it is of short section of track in part of a long muddy track that no-one would use without at least sturdy shoes if not boots.   I may have the area wrong but there is a second up near Mellor Cross. I was told this was due to flood damage, if so then why has part of Etherow Country Park, which has considerably greater use and by ordinary pedestrians, been barriered off for well over a year.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Steve Gribbon]

Hi Steve,

It’s not just the section where there is supposed be a grass verge that should be looked at, but also the very narrow section of footpath up to the traffic lights (and the trees which overhang the road and path).

Thanks Lily

Thanks Lily

I'm heading over on Thursday, early if I can. I will have a look and take it from there but I appreciate the message and am glad we are in agreement this needs attention.

Kind regards

Steve Gribbon

[Lily]

Hi Lily

I'm in total agreement with you, I spoke to A Councilor about this the other day and will be visiting the site next week to see what options are available. It's no longer a grass verge and needs attention.

Kind regards

Steve

Hi Steve,

It’s not just the section where there is supposed be a grass verge that should be looked at, but also the very narrow section of footpath up to the traffic lights (and the trees which overhang the road and path).

Thanks Lily

[Dave]

ask how it is the Council's GreenSpace Manager can find money to upgrade obscure footpaths in Mellor

As regular users of obscure footpaths in Mellor, my dog and I can assure CTREP that none of them have recently been upgraded. I can think of a few that need it though!

[CTCREP]

Amazon asked "so how many cyclists do you think will use it compared with people who use the parks and recreation grounds that are being left in decay". Well I would like to suggest hundreds. I had friends who lived on Overdale Rd who took to riding into Romiley and down to Chadkirk in order to avoid being intimidated by the traffic on Otterspool Rd - and they were certainly not wimps.  I guess there are many others that would think that way.  And as for the Parks being left in decay, ask how it is the Council's GreenSpace Manager can find money to upgrade obscure footpaths in Mellor and Houghton Dale while ignoring the Parks.

While we are in the area of Otterspool Rd, we should be asking why the Council is delaying upgrading the off-road route into Stockport which commences at Mill Lane. The Council claims this is an "aspirational route" though I am sure that SUSTRANS considered it an essential part of their Connect2 scheme that provided the route from Marple Hall Drive down to Chadkirk and the bridge over the River Goyt. The Council claims it is waiting for funding to provide another bridge in order to take the route into Vernon Park.  It is debatable if this is necessary, but why debate something that is never likely to happen. It is just an excuse to do nothing to encourage cycling as a form of commuting, which is the most useful way of reducing pollution and creating a healthier population.

We tend to think of cycling into Stockport, but of course the reverse is also available.That would encourage people from Stockport to visit Marple etc giving extra trade to the businesses and help stop the shops etc closing down. Marple was once a tourist area and should look to promoting that again.

[amazon]

Hi Amazon

I think we will agree to disagree on this because I feel that CTCREP has it spot on. I walked down what is the only pavement at present on that stretch of road yesterday to gauge width and path standards etc. At some point it's only a couple of feet wide up to the grass verge, no use for both pedestrians and cyclists together. The road is hazardous for cyclists and this is especially on the climb up, so a cycle route in my view will help both with safety and should look smart too.

At weekend we get a lot of leisure cyclists on the road, this will be of benefit to them also. I like to think of schemes like this to be proactive rather than an accident occurring then a reactive measure taking place. It's correct as many have suggested that potholes need investment and sorting out but looking at the work being carried out down to Chadkirk I think it's being done for the good of our area.

Kind regards

Steve Gribbon

Ok point taken

[Steve Gribbon]

Hi Amazon

I think we will agree to disagree on this because I feel that CTCREP has it spot on. I walked down what is the only pavement at present on that stretch of road yesterday to gauge width and path standards etc. At some point it's only a couple of feet wide up to the grass verge, no use for both pedestrians and cyclists together. The road is hazardous for cyclists and this is especially on the climb up, so a cycle route in my view will help both with safety and should look smart too.

At weekend we get a lot of leisure cyclists on the road, this will be of benefit to them also. I like to think of schemes like this to be proactive rather than an accident occurring then a reactive measure taking place. It's correct as many have suggested that potholes need investment and sorting out but looking at the work being carried out down to Chadkirk I think it's being done for the good of our area.

Kind regards

Steve Gribbon

Hi Lily

I'm in total agreement with you, I spoke to A Councilor about this the other day and will be visiting the site next week to see what options are available. It's no longer a grass verge and needs attention.

Kind regards

Steve

[rsh]

Another section of the same road is desperate for some attention!
The footpath between the Hare and Hounds and the lights at the bottom of Dan Bank is atrocious. 
After the big wall the footpath becomes very narrow.
It is so narrow that it even feels unsafe walking along it.
It is constantly wet from water draining off the side and there is often vegetation debris on the path. 
The road is also very narrow here.  Try riding a bike up to the junction - it’s awful with the constant stream of traffic.
The trees overhanging the road are also in desperate need of some attention. Many of them look like they could go over at any time. 
Who is responsible for the land at the side of the road? The council or landowner?
Something really needs to be done about it for the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists!

Yes! Totally agreed! That’s just an awful piece of road, yet only a fairly short piece where they’d need to rebuild a retaining wall further back. They did it for Dan Bank so I’ve never understood why they didn’t do it here at the same time. Ideally Otterspool/Dooley should have a good wide, shared pavement its entire length to help as many people as possible use it without adding to the backed-up queue of cars!

[rsh]

But only if cycling is allowed on the "pavement" on both sides of the crossing...   (And often it is not.)

Where there’s a toucan crossing, often it is.

Thank heavens for some common sense investment from the council with this off-road climbing lane for cyclists. These could be added to so many more local roads to make it easier to get about by bike without fear of a snarling queue of traffic behind you (or getting side-swiped by people impatiently overtaking). Just look at the difference to Dan Bank and the amount of people now happy to climb that hill - even kids.

Sadly High Lane hasn’t been so lucky - I’ve just learned that a wide shared pavement planned between Middlewood Way and the new SEMMMS scheme (and thus the cycleway along it all the way to the airport) has been quietly cancelled because “it wouldn’t cater for equestrians”. No, I don’t understand that reasoning either.

Instead they’re painting a single cycle lane going uphill into High Lane (except where it meets a traffic island, junction or narrow part of the road, where the lane suddenly disappears and you’re on your own). Paid for by SEMMMS before anyone asks.

[Lily]

Another section of the same road is desperate for some attention!
The footpath between the Hare and Hounds and the lights at the bottom of Dan Bank is atrocious. 
After the big wall the footpath becomes very narrow.
It is so narrow that it even feels unsafe walking along it.
It is constantly wet from water draining off the side and there is often vegetation debris on the path. 
The road is also very narrow here.  Try riding a bike up to the junction - it’s awful with the constant stream of traffic.
The trees overhanging the road are also in desperate need of some attention. Many of them look like they could go over at any time. 
Who is responsible for the land at the side of the road? The council or landowner?
Something really needs to be done about it for the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists!