Closure of pedestrian access from South West to Westbury Station

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I've often left Westbury station and turned right, past the car park down a lane and onto the footpath that runs along the railway to Dilton Marsh.   It's well used, long established (been there as long as I can remember – for me that's back to the 1980s) and a very convenient way to Dilton Marsh if no train is due.  There's also a cutoff to Oldfield Road in Westbury which saves a considerable walk around for Westbury residents.

It seems that the lane from the car park to the footpath has now been marked as “private” - said to be by Network Rail – cutting off the footpaths to Dilton Marsh and Westbury's Oldfield Road from the station.  It makes for a considerably longer walk between people's homes and the station, and it makes paths WEST00 and WEST15 pretty pointless.

Questions:

1. Can anyone confirm
a) that the path has been in use for at least 40 years without closure or incumberance
b) who closed it
c) that it was closed without public consultation
d) that no suitable alternative has been provided

2. It has been stated that this closure is because of safety concerns. Was consideration given to making the path what's considered to be safe? If not, why not?   If so, why couldn't it be made safe?

3. Does anyone find it ironic that a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) CCIF^▸ (Customer and Communities Improvement Fund) funded scheme to make access a little easier at the other end of Station Approach is dwarfed by this hole left in access at this end?

Map and details of Westbury Area Board case at http://atrebatia.info/westpath.pdf

[SandTEngineer]

Is it something to do wih the foot crossing over the Westbury Avoiding Line (the one with the long term 50mph speed restriction due to sighting issues)?

[grahame]

Is it something to do wih the foot crossing over the Westbury Avoiding Line (the one with the long term 50mph speed restriction due to sighting issues)?

No - it's to the north of that in the immediate area of Westbury Station.

[grahame]

I've often left Westbury station and turned right, past the car park down a lane and onto the footpath that runs along the railway to Dilton Marsh.   It's well used, long established (been there as long as I can remember – for me that's back to the 1980s) and a very convenient way to Dilton Marsh if no train is due.  There's also a cutoff to Oldfield Road in Westbury which saves a considerable walk around for Westbury residents.

It seems that the lane from the car park to the footpath has now been marked as “private” - said to be by Network Rail – cutting off the footpaths to Dilton Marsh and Westbury's Oldfield Road from the station.  It makes for a considerably longer walk between people's homes and the station, and it makes paths WEST00 and WEST15 pretty pointless.

Looks like something similar going on in Coalville - from Coalville Nub News

'Devastated' Walkers Fight To Win Back Access To Coalville Footpath After Network Rail 'Block It Off'

A campaign to re-open a Coalville footpath has been set up after Network Rail were accused of blocking it off without warning.

The path, from Scotlands Playing Fields towards Hugglescote is well used by local residents who say it has been for years.

Now a Facebook group has been set up with Amy Shepherd as lead campaigner - with county councillor Terri Eynon aiming to win the footpath back for the people.

The aim is to prove to Leicestershire County Council that the path has been in use for decades and campaigners want local residents to back them in their fight by filling in an Evidence Form which can be printed off from this link.

[CyclingSid]

Does the path you mention appear on the WCC^▸ (Wiltshire County Council (Until March 2009)) PRoW map wiltscouncil.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappiewer/index.html?id=43d5a86a545046b2b59fd7dd49d89d22

Similar things have been happening on the National Cycle Network where sections are Permitted Paths. Two examples; round the Eton Dorney Rowing Lake, part of NCN 4, which is owned by Eton College. Through Richmond Park, also part of NCN 4, which is part of Royal Parks which was closed to cycling and cost me a few extra kilometres yesterday going round by seat of the pants navigation.

[Clan Line]

Does the path you mention appear on the WCC^▸ (Wiltshire County Council (Until March 2009)) PRoW map wiltscouncil.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappiewer/index.html?id=43d5a86a545046b2b59fd7dd49d89d22

I can't get that link to work, it seems very similar to this one - which does seem to work OK for me.

https://wiltscouncil.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=43d5a86a545046b2b59fd7dd49d89d22

To digress slightly - I have found this map absolutely great for "social distancing" walks over the last few months !!

[ellendune]

Does the path you mention appear on the WCC^▸ (Wiltshire County Council (Until March 2009)) PRoW map wiltscouncil.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappiewer/index.html?id=43d5a86a545046b2b59fd7dd49d89d22

No but it does say that a local Councillor applied to have it designated as a right of way in March 2017.  Perhaps the signs are related to that very slow process.