It's official – for horses and carts!

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TWO routes used daily by scores of motorists are to be officially added to Warrington’s definitive rights-of-way map – as byways open for use by pedestrians and horses and carts only.
The routes, alleyways linking the A49 Wilderspool Causeway with River Road – two of the town’s earliest highways – are vital to the local community.
They enable residents of Wilderspool Causeway to access the rear of their homes – and also provide vehicle access to Causeway Park, a community centre and the local Sea Cadets headquarters.
But for years they have existed only unofficially and

could, theoretically, have been closed by someone able to prove ownership.
Even now they are unofficially only open for use by pedestrians and horse-drawn vehicles.
Members of the borough council’s traffic committee agreed to add the two routes to the definitive map as restricted byways but to also to write to DEFRA – the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – drawing attention to 2006 legislation which prevented them from designating the alleyways as routes open to all traffic.
Officers believe the law was intended to protect “greenways” in rural areas but has had unintended effects in built-up areas.
Local resident Dave Fance, who has campaigned for years to get the two alleyways on the rights-of-way map said: “I am delighted – and so are other residents. It means the council now has a duty to keep these routes open.
“They are used by cars every day anyway but it was possible they could have been blocked off by someone who could prove ownership. Hopefully, we can get them designated for motor vehicles also.”
Evidence exists that the two ways existed in 1828 and River Road and Wilderspool Causeway were there long before that. They were not constructed for motor vehicles and there is no evidence to show motor vehicle use prior to 1930 – so it must be concluded there are no public motor vehicle rights.
An application to add another footpath alongside 124 Wilderspool Causeway to the definitive map was refused by the committee due to a lack of evidence.


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Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.

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