Cycle route is removed from guide after it becomes overgrown, now residents and council are at loggerheads over width

THE path at the centre of a row in Woolston Park was removed from a cycle path guide because it had badly deteriorated, the Warrington Guardian can reveal.

Residents and Warrington Borough Council are at loggerheads over how the path on the west side of the park should be used.

Users say it was big enough for cyclists and pedestrians to use, but has become overgrown and is dangerous.

The council says it has not been maintained deliberately to ‘look more natural in the park’.

However, it has now emerged the path was struck from the cycle map guide for Warrington, issued last year.

Reasons given by the council’s transportation service was that ‘the original three-metre width has suffered encroachment over a number of years, the surface has deteriorated and the current provision gives a narrow path of varying, sometimes poor quality.”

In an apparent U-turn, the Town Hall is now considering widening the path as it looks to spend £70,000 on wider improvements in Woolston Park.

It said a survey with residents revealed footpath maintenance was the third highest priority.

Woolston Parish Council says work to improve the west side path is needed, but believes money is being wasted as improvements would not be needed if the path had been maintained.

Clr Ian Johnson, chairman, said he expects the path to be restored to 1.8 metres wide.

‘’This is clearly progress, but we believe that the original full width of needs to be re-established to be clean and non slippery, as the 1.8 metres that the council is proposing and costing is not deemed wide enough for cyclists and pedestrian users to share safely.

“The issue has run for a considerable amount of time, and the parish council is looking for a permanent solution.”