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Landfill site path restoration call
UNHAPPY residents have complained about footpaths not yet being restored across a massive former opencast coalmine near Sheffield.
People living around Orgreave are calling for rights of way across the 1,000 acre Waverley site to be restored now restoration of the land is nearing completion.
The demands were made at a meeting of Rotherham Council's Area Assembly in Treeton.
Coun Reg Littleboy, who represents Brinsworth and Catcliffe on Rotherham Council, said: "It is time these public rights of way were re-opened. The only public right of way that has been restored is around the perimeter of the site but there are numerous rights of way across this site that have not yet been opened again and it is not good enough."
One Orgreave woman said: "I want to take my children on this site now it has been restored but it seems that UK Coal are not answerable to anyone and nothing is being done about this."
Richard Pett, Rotherham Council public rights of way officer, said six miles of public rights of way had been opened around the perimeter at Waverley.
But he added other rights of way across the site had not yet been re-opened for "safety reasons". UK Coal has been asked to attend the next assembly meeting to explain the situation.
A company spokesman said: "There has been extensive consultation with a wide range of organisations, including local councillors and the ramblers' group, over the past 12 months, in relation to footpath access.
"As a result of these consultations, a programme of reopening original, deviated and new rights of way has been agreed with the public rights of way officer and will be progressively implemented.
"As the process of site restoration, ditch and drainage work and other engineering is completed, Waverley will have an extensive network of pathways and bridleways for public use."
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Friday 10 February 2012
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