Footpath wait finally over

Pedestrians can now walk safely to and from Southwell after the completion of a footpath.

Residents, Southwell Town Council and Nottinghamshire county councillor Mr Bruce Laughton campaigned for three years for a path along Lower Kirklington Road, between Southwell and Maythorne.

The new path, installed by Tarmac Ltd on behalf of the county council, is an experimental new surface made of recycled material that costs less than normal hardcore material.

The footpath was rejected twice for money from the county council’s Building Better Communities scheme before being selected by Tarmac for the experimental project.

A town councillor, Mr Roger Dobson, said he was pleased a path was finally in place.

He said: “The footpath is going to be a great asset. I am absolutely thrilled it is there because it’s going to help a lot of people.”

Mr Dobson said the problems caused by the lack of a footpath were highlighted when he designed the Edward Cludd Heritage Trail.

He said: “The heritage trail enables residents and visitors to go from the town and follow the trail and the story of Edward Cludd to Norwood Park and back down Lower Kirklington Road to Southwell.

“One of the slight difficulties with this trail was that Lower Kirklington Road didn’t have a footpath so was unsafe and I felt a little uneasy about that. I am relieved there is a footpath now.”

Mr Dobson said Maythorne residents would also benefit.

Until the path was installed, they had to walk on the road or along Southwell Trail to use services such as the schools in Southwell.

He said: “It will give people from Maythorne a safe route to walk into town and back.

“The Southwell Trail isn’t always suitable for walking on depending on the weather and the time of the day.”

Mrs Jean Dando of the Old Silk Mill, Maythorne, has used the path every day since it was completed.

She said: “It is absolutely wonderful. It will make a difference because the road really wasn’t safe to walk along, especially at night.

“When you walk along the path you feel safer.”

Mr Laughton considered the stretch of road between Maythorne and Southwell as one of the most dangerous in his ward.

He said: “Anybody driving that stretch of road who saw people walking on it could see they were in danger.

“You literally came round the corner and came upon them before you could manoeuvre round them safely.

“Lives were being put in danger by the fact there was no footpath.”

Mr Laughton said he was pleased a footpath had finally been installed.

Mr John Lightwood the chairman of Southwell 20’s Plenty For Us Group, which is campaigning for a 20mph speed limit in the town and better footpaths and cycle routes, was pleased with the path.

He said: “This is just the beginning of extending pedestrian access in and around the town.”