Opposite the south entrance to Alderley Park in Nether Alderley is a designated shared use path, intended for use by pedestrians and cyclists. It runs beside the busy A34 where vehicles can legally travel up to a speed of 50mph.
A significant section of this path has been unsafe to use for several years because of the very overgrown boundary hedge and a thick mat of weeds and debris.
Concerned about the safety of path users, I made my first complaint to Cheshire East Highways Dept. in June 2021. Since then, I have continued to write to them alerting the authority that it remains a dangerous path. I have been told that it is not regarded as dangerous, even when I made an official appeal about their initial decision.
In October 2022, a Senior Highways Officer wrote to tell me that "Congleton Road is inspected twelve times per year as part of our scheduled safety inspection programme" so it seems that, since my first complaint, it has now been passed as a safe route on 29 occasions!
Do readers agree that this cannot be classified as acceptable? My most recent messages to CEC, with updates photos (these taken on 22nd November 2023), have not been even acknowledged.
What should I do next?
Helen Battilana
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
If Cheshire East are refusing to fix it - and could be held liable if a fatal accident were to occur as a result of the dangerous footpath - I suggest you email our MP, Esther McVey, on and I think you will find the job will be done very quickly.
I am still waiting to see the dangerous unlit (at night) traffic bollards, in the middle of Bollington Lane at the junction nearby with the A34, repaired and replaced with internally lit bollards after reporting them some weeks ago and being told they would be repaired as an 'urgent. job.
This pathway is dangerous and not fit for purpose.
If a serious accident were to now occur, the authorities should hang their heads in shame ... and the fact you have highlighted this problem yet again (this time on this website) maybe action will be taken at last as I know Councillor Craig Browne reads these messages and maybe, just maybe, action will be taken.
When driving up Brook lane it forces vehicles out into the centre of the road and hasn’t had anything done to it for years.
It always gets overlooked but one day there is going to be a serious accident and the council could be to blame.
2 years ago I raised other issues about the highways department relating to failures in the gritting routes risk assessment process. These have still not been addressed.
I will be addressing this again at the public speaking session of the next full council meeting on 13 December 2023.
Do you want to join me and raise your points with the full council?
The full Monty,traffic lights and a digger.
That’s good to read. I’m sick of having to play “chicken” whilst walking the dog and having to step out into the road against oncoming traffic because the hedges are over growing the road and the pavements are overgrown with weeds and detritus due to neglect.
You mention the mound of earth on the path (opposite Chorley Hall Lane) blocking the way. I reported that about twenty years ago, after my parents died, and I was walking regularly to the cemetery. It has, as you say, been removed and that part of the path is a lot better but, further along, where the road bends, the path is very narrow and the overgrown soil and weeds, etc. need a severe cutting back, as do a lot of hedges in Alderley Edge. The footpaths, because of overgrown hedges, are getting worse. I met a lady with a pushchair the other day at the end of Steven’s Street and she was having a struggle to get along the path because of the overgrown hedge and rough path.
A duty to maintain the road will still exist. This usually falls upon the owners of any properties fronting the road, along with having public liability insurance in place.