Agenda item

Sue Smith updated LAF members on DEFRA Access funding, which is in Year 3, with funding of £155.8k.

Work identified for Year 3 takes forward three aims of: more miles, more places and more mobility.  This includes a proposed Changing Place at Parsley Hay to complement the trampers on offer there.  The Goyt Miles without Stiles route is already partly resurfaced and some of the funding will be used to double the length of the route.

After the meeting, LAF members were invited to go and look at the proposed improvements to the link between the Monsal Trail and Coombs Road, which includes better surfacing and hand rails to assist with the steep gradient.  The High Peak trail at Hurdlow will also be improved.  Miles without stiles route videos will allow people to view locations before visiting.

Martin commented that the Ramblers, as an outdoor group, campaign for the sorts of changes Sue has highlighted.  More seating and resting places in landscaped areas are needed and provision of shelters given the amount of rain we have in the UK.

Sue said that in Year 1 of the funding, a ramp was installed to one of the former weighbridges on the Tissington Trail.  The other weighbridges and shelters will be looked at in Year 3, and will include seating and interpretation boards.

Craig advised of grant money that had been accessed for Ilam Country Park, which wasn’t a good site for anyone with mobility problems.  Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) funding means that improvements have been made to make the café, river and the bridge accessible.  There is also an Ilam and Dovedale bid for Heriage Lotttery Funding so that the National Trust can make further improvements.  The exact plans are still to be determined.  The NT is working with the LAF to look at transport issues at Mam Tor, Winnats Pass and Odin Mine, to explore ways that visitors can be spread out more across sites.  An estimated 1 million people visit Mam Tor every year.  

Nick suggested video route descriptions are worth encouraging in other scenarios, but need to be kept up to date.  Louise agreed that these could benefit other people.  Sue is considering whether videos may be an option for informing the public about new permissive paths.  Currently the focus is on Access for All routes.  People need to be confident in using the routes and they can be developed for use elsewhere and with different user groups.

Action:

The report is noted