DelW
Established Member
- Joined
- 15 Jan 2015
- Messages
- 4,385
First of all I would want to make it clear that I am usually absolutely against closing public footpaths or any public right of way. I am a member of the Ramblers, an organisation which actively campaigns against this. However, I also accept that in some cases, where an alternative route can be provided close by, that doesn’t significantly increase the distance, it can be an acceptable thing to do.
If it's such an issue, they should just build a dedicated footbridge across the station along the eastern end of the station buildings, to take a diverted pubic footpath from the car park access road directly across to Station Street. It could carry OHLE and save building a gantry for electrification.
It was stated earlier in the thread (e.g. post #24) that there was a separate dedicated footbridge carrying the right of way, until an earlier generation of railway management chose to remove it.
Assuming that's correct, the current problem is wholly of the railway's own making, and it/they should not be allowed to solve it by inconveniencing either passengers or legitimate users of the right of way.
As with HRE and bridge infills, it is absolutely unacceptable for quangos to ignore the laws that apply to the rest of us whenever it suits their current purpose, and they need to be regularly reminded of that fact.