The Footpath Team has been established for some years, reporting to the Greater Manchester and High Peak Area, and is one of the twin pillars of the group, Footpaths and Walking. Footpath Inspectors make an annual survey of Rights of Way in the borough and assess the paths for easy of use against local government standards. The FP Team report their findings to Trafford Council and works with the Council Officers to make best use of the Council's allocated resources to keep paths in Trafford in good condition for the benefit of all users be they pram pushing mums, children walking to school, commuters on the way to work, cyclists and horseriders (on appropriate routes) or anyone who enjoys walking locally for health. As well as the work in keeping existing path is good order, the FP Team assist Trafford residents when they want to claim new Rights of Way or simply need advice on what to do about a problem they encounter with a path.
Footpath Secretary June Mabon telephone: 0161 928 3437 email: june@hilltopltd.org.uk
Footpath Secretary June Mabon telephone: 0161 928 3437 email: june@hilltopltd.org.uk
PDGLA Newsletter
Updates regarding recent work and actions affecting the Peak District Green Lanes Alliance.
CALLING WALKS DESIGNERS IN TRAFFORD
- Can you design a short to medium length walk to suit the average walker?
- Do you know what makes a walking route interesting?
- Are you interested in walk routes in Trafford?
- Do you live in or near Trafford?
There are many public rights of way in Trafford that become overgrown in summer because they are not walked enough to keep the natural vegetation under control. These paths, and others, are our target to have them incorporated into short or medium length walk routes. These routes will be promoted on local websites to encourage local residents to walk the paths all year round and especially in summer.
The RTG Footpath Team would like to hear from anyone who might be able to help. May be you have designed some walk routes already and would be happy to adapt one or two to include some of these target paths that need regular walking to keep them open and fit for use.
For more information contact the Ramblers Trafford Group Footpath Secretary on 0161 928 3437 or at june@hilltopltd.org.uk.
April 2012 - from Ramblers Volunteers Newsletter
The Ramblers Trafford Group show how led walks and footpath work complement each other in making sure the local community can go out walking, whether they are going on a led walk or enjoying the local rights of way.
The Footpath Team has been established for some years and is one of the twin pillars of the group, Footpaths and Walking. Footpath Inspectors make an annual survey of Rights of Way in the borough and assess the paths for ease of use against local government standards. The Footpath Team report their findings to Trafford Council and works with the Council Officers to make best use of the Council's allocated resources to keep rights of way in Trafford in good condition.
The Footpath Team has been established for some years and is one of the twin pillars of the group, Footpaths and Walking. Footpath Inspectors make an annual survey of Rights of Way in the borough and assess the paths for ease of use against local government standards. The Footpath Team report their findings to Trafford Council and works with the Council Officers to make best use of the Council's allocated resources to keep rights of way in Trafford in good condition.
This is for the benefit of all users be they pram pushing parents, children walking to school, commuters on the way to work or anyone who enjoys walking locally for health. As well as the work in keeping existing path is good order, the Footpath Team assist Trafford residents when they want to claim new Rights of Way or simply need advice on what to do about a problem they encounter with a path. The latest edition to the footpath work done by Ramblers Trafford Group is the creation of a path maintenance team. This work complements the other areas of footpath work undertaken by the group and is steadily growing with 11 volunteers currently helping with their maintenance.
February 2012 - The team tackle the bramble growth on footpath Urmston 31.
We had the benefit of a power strimmer operated by the Council officer. It certainly does clear vegetation fast although the vegetation fights back by being “strimmer wire hungry” and the strimmer needs frequent recharging of the plastic cutting wire. We also cut down some self seeded sapling growth which was either getting in the way of path users or where too many saplings were too close together to allow for healthy growth.
The pictures below illustrate the morning’s “showcase” bit of clearance – a large patch of rampant brambles had taken over the path verge, obscuring the wooden fencing and threatening to spread over the centre of the path just as soon as the growing season gets underway. Within an hour of starting we had this patch cleared back to the line of the fencing. And we collected two bags of litter, mostly
exposed when we cut back vegetation.
U31 footpath is quite long and there is scope for a second clearance visit. So there will be more work day dates coming soon.
The pictures below illustrate the morning’s “showcase” bit of clearance – a large patch of rampant brambles had taken over the path verge, obscuring the wooden fencing and threatening to spread over the centre of the path just as soon as the growing season gets underway. Within an hour of starting we had this patch cleared back to the line of the fencing. And we collected two bags of litter, mostly
exposed when we cut back vegetation.
U31 footpath is quite long and there is scope for a second clearance visit. So there will be more work day dates coming soon.
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December 2011
On Friday 2nd December 2011 the Footpath team tackled their first vegetation clearance! The weather was ideal for the event and ten team members made a big difference to the path beside Baguley Brook, Sale. Even the local Community Police lady stopped by to say hello and comment favourable of Ramblers putting something tangible into the community. This was the first exercise we have done so there were quite a few lessons learned and we are very hopeful that there will be future exercises along the same lines. The Council seems to be prepared to help us identify other paths where we can get the landowners permission to cut back excessive vegetation, Encouragingly, the Council representative who worked with us last Friday morning has left the Council supplied yellow hi-vis vests we wore with us “for use on future occasions”.
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