Closure of 'valued' path sparks petition with hundreds of signatures

A public campaign demanding the reopening of a cherished path in Nottinghamshire is gaining momentum, with a petition soon to be submitted to Parliament. Residents expressed their frustration and anger over the closure of a 250,000 greenway linking Radcliffe-on-Trent to Cotgrave, which was shut in January 2024 after unauthorized work caused an embankment to become unstable, raising safety concerns.

The petition, endorsed by over 1,400 supporters, was initiated by Labour MP for Rushcliffe, James Naish. He hopes the campaign will encourage the county council to include repair funding in its 2026-27 budget.

Yvonne Ellison, chair of the Radcliffe-on-Trent Residents' Association, said she believes the petition will help restore the "valued connection." She noted, "Two years is a long time to be deprived of a public greenway. The village is extremely frustrated by the lack of progress. This path has been heavily used by walkers, cyclists, and horse riders, not just locally, because it offers excellent access to Cotgrave Country Park."

Nottinghamshire County Council explained that barriers were reinforced due to people disregarding safety notices, making the closure necessary. The petition is a "paper petition," formally submitted by MPs on behalf of their constituents. Unlike public e-petitions, there is no minimum number of signatures required for parliamentary presentation.

Naish stated that the initiative followed numerous emails from residents after local councillors struggled to get updates on repairs. "The county council is reviewing the situation, but we now need formal responses. We plan to present the petition to Parliament before Christmas, ahead of the budget process concluding in January or February," he said.

Bert Bingham, cabinet member for transport and environment, acknowledged residents' frustration. He explained that repairing the path is highly complex due to legal and engineering challenges. "Preparatory work is nearly complete, but full reopening may still take time. We are also considering temporary measures to allow partial access for pedestrians in the meantime," Bingham added.

He emphasized the safety risks, stating that the slope could unexpectedly collapse, making the additional work essential to protect the public.

Author: Logan Reeves