A footbridge over the A34 Alderley Edge bypass now bears plaques with the name of a Wilmslow man who fought all the way to a public enquiry for it to be included in the design of the road.
Family and friends of the late Derek Smith gathered with members of his local walking group on the parapet of the bridge, high above the bypass, on Friday, October 14th, to hear Sandra Edwards, Chairperson of East Cheshire Ramblers, pay tribute to the success of his 10-year battle for a footbridge.
The Ramblers, along with other local footpaths groups, argued for safe crossings to be provided, they were concerned that walkers, crossing this major highway, did not have to dodge two-way traffic travelling at 60mph. The Ramblers East Cheshire Group opposed the plans put forward by the then Cheshire County Council at a Public Inquiry held in January 2005 where Derek Smith presented evidence.
Sadly, Derek Smith died in 2005 and to mark his contribution to the campaign the Ramblers arranged to have the plaques erected on the bridge in his memory.
Sandra Edwards said "Without Derek's quiet persistence we would not have achieved this result. He was always courteous and had a lovely sense of humour. I was not surprised that he assembled enough arguments to convince an government Inspector of the strength of his case. Future generations of walkers should be grateful for the time and effort that Derek was prepared to devote to this cause."
"This is a day that makes you proud to be a member of the Ramblers, when we reflect on how much was achieved by one of our own, but this is the core of the Ramblers' work and has been for 75 years – it's not just about paying our subs and going on walks, important though that is.
"We belong to an organisation which is committed to supporting the national footpath network and that is why East Cheshire Ramblers has a Footpaths Committee working tirelessly in the background to protect our local footpaths and walkers' safety."
Photo: Michael Smith, Derek's widow Rosemary Smith, Sandra Edwards, Martin and Angela Smith.
