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Ref: 73/08 25 February 2008
Ashton Hayes To Mouldsworth Footway
Residents of Cheshire’s ‘environmentally friendly’ Ashton Hayes village have been supported by county highways engineers in their efforts to be carbon neutral.
Now the local residents are to benefit from the provision of a 500 metre footpath alongside the roadway to neighbouring Mouldsworth where one did not exist before.
Situated at the back of a grass verge where possible, it encourages pedestrians, keeps them separated from road traffic, and will not only assist pedestrian movement and improved road safety but importantly - will also be largely constructed from reclaimed materials.
The provision of the footpath was pressed for by the late County Councillor John Burke, a local representative and formerly Executive member for Highways and Transportation who died late last year.
Now the new pathway will be complemented by a bench with commemorative plaque to his memory.
Colleague and friend County Councillor Eveleigh Moore-Dutton said, “John was a quiet unassuming man who always had the best interests of the community at heart and I think the bench and its peaceful location is a suitable tribute to him.”
Work on the footpath began earlier this month (Feb) and is expected to be completed in time for Easter and will provide a pedestrian route from Ashton Hayes to Mouldsworth railway station.
To demonstrate the County Council’s support for Ashton Hayes’ ‘Going Carbon Neutral’ project, Cheshire County Council’s contractor Edmund Nuttall is using construction methods and materials which should minimise the impact on the environment.
Cheshire County Council’s Area Maintenance Engineer explained, “Instead of using new, granular material the footway foundations are made from recycled road planings from Nuttal’s stockpile. And where the footway is next to the road, the new kerbs will be made from re-cycled plastic, typically from discarded uPVC window frames and offcuts or plastic bottle tops. “
The work has been welcomed by local district and parish councillors. Cllr Hugo Deynem said “ The creation of this footpath will bring considerable environmental improvements to the village along with improved safety for those accessing Mouldsworth station on foot.
“It is all the more welcome as many materials used in its construction have been evaluated for their environmental impact before use. Everyone acknowledges the hard work Cllr John Burke put into bringing this project to reality, we are pleased to see a fitting tribute to his memory included in the scheme.”
Cllr Andrew Garman added, "I am delighted that this footpath is being constructed, I know many residents are too. I and the Parish Council have asked for this footpath on numerous occasions going back at least a decade. It seems that the road safety argument and the sustainability argument have come together to make this a reality."
ENDS
DH/KT
Note To Editors: Further details available from Cheshire County Council’s Engineers Graham Anderton (Tel. 01244 973491 or Jane Ducey Tel. 01244 973622 and/or County Councillor Eveleigh Moore Dutton (tel. 01948 661269).
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