After many years of discussions, planning and grant applications, the work to upgrade the path from Wilmslow to Styal through the Carrs has been completed.
The result is an accessible, 2.5 metre wide, surfaced bridleway, which is already being used and appreciated by members of the community, including walkers, wheelchair users, pram and pushchair users, horse riders and cyclists.
At its opening on Thursday, 3rd April, David Topping, Cheshire East's Cabinet member for Environment, said, "I am delighted that the hard work from all the partners in this venture has resulted in the opening of this valuable asset for our residents to use. There is much focus at present for people to get out into the fresh air and get some exercise. This will help to encourage such activity in Cheshire's wonderful countryside."
An informal ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by many of those who had been involved in its creation. Attendees included Graham Beech, instigator and one of the prime movers of the project, who recalled, "I have campaigned for many years to get a high-quality multi-purpose path through The Carrs and am absolutely delighted that it has been completed. This really is a path for all categories of users and for all ages. My long-term vision is to see it continue to Styal Country Park, Manchester Airport and beyond."
This has truly been a partnership project with landowners Cheshire East Council managing the project, Friends of the Carrs applying for the grant, the Bollin Valley Partnership getting the community on board and the wider public supporting the scheme with letters and campaigning.
Emma Houghton, Community Projects Officer at the Bollin Valley Partnership, said, "The hard work, time and energy everyone put into this project all seemed worthwhile when I heard a story of a man in a motorised wheelchair who had been unable to access the site for many years. He didn't kick up a fuss but as soon as the path was renovated, he jumped at the opportunity to visit and enjoy the Carrs."
Funding for this ambitious scheme was made possible through the Paths for Communities Scheme (P4C) operated by Natural England. Improvements to The Carrs have also benefited from the allocation of section 106 recreation funding through nearby developments.
Reflecting on the experience, Ian Baillie, chairman of the Friends of The Carrs, said "The Friends are delighted with this project and hope to complete some wildflower planting and river bank protection to compliment the new path. We hope that it will be many years before we have to worry about the link from Wilmslow to Styal again!"
The main path runs alongside the River Bollin from the bridge near the Parish Hall to Twinnies car park, where it meets the recently upgraded Kings Road to Lacey Green link. Additional resurfacing and widening work has been completed by Cheshire East Council on the sections of path that link to Hawthorn Lane and to Cliff Road, providing flexible access to and from the town centre. The sustainable transport charity, Sustrans, hopes to designate the upgraded paths as part of the National Cycle Network, linking to the nearby Airport Orbital Cycleway.
Photo:Graham Beech (instigator of the project),Cllr David Topping (Cheshire East's Cabinet Member of Environment) and Emma Houghton (Projects Officer, Bollin Valley Partnership).
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Now let us hope that the Wilmslow Clean Team aren't called into action and civic pride.
Good news for us all...... enjoy!
I'm a horse rider and I have never, in 35 years, seen riders on the Carrs.
The Council is so anti dogs that I am amazed horse riding is allowed!
Why?
The bridleway proper only extends from Twinnies car park to the bridge nearest the Parish Hall - the spurs to the hall and to Hawthorn Lane are footpaths with a dispensation for permissive use by cycles. Not horses! Therefore, any horseriders that get as far as the Parish Hall bridge have no legal option but to turn back and, along the way, will see any horse muck that they may have left on their outward journey. It staggers me that any responsible rider will fail to scoop up the muck - as do a majority (but not 100%) of dog owners.
It will take a little while for all users - including cyclists and the very occasional horserider to get used to used to sharing the path. But it will happen - as it has in many other parts of the UK.
BUT....when you consider the cost, could the contractors, Fairclough, not have built in some sort of camber so it didn't flood after our first proper downpour???
Disgraceful workmanship... Enormous (3-4 metre long ) puddles spanning the width of the new pathway..
Get your wellies on!!
"Landowners Cheshire East Council". I had long thought, given the signage, that this land clearly belonged to the "people of Wilmslow" as donated by Henry Boddington in the 1920s in order to build Pownall Park. Another piece of land acquired by ECC by subterfuge and obfuscation. If only we could go back in time and demand ALL the land (and the social housing flogged for £5K a piece) we (Macc Council) owned could be preserved for those whose funds had purchased it!!
I noe the comments about horses leaving droppings. It is a bit difficult for riders to do anything about this. It IS a bridleway! It is better than those irresponsible dog owners who regularly leave dog mess in polythene bags hanging.from trees on the Rotherwood Road restricted bye way. At least horse droppings are bio disposable.