The off switch has been flicked by the Lake District National Park Authority on plans to install lighting on the Keswick to Threlkeld trail.
But Keswick Town Council remains undimmed by the national park’s less than illuminating response to its appeal to light up a dark stretch of the popular footpath between the former leisure pool and the Penrith Road branch of Spar.
It is frequently used as a short-cut for both pupils and residents who live south of the River Greta.
But in a letter to the town council, the LDNPA’s chief executive Richard Leafe said that he could not support them in their efforts to install lighting along part of the permitted trail.
“I ask the town council to appreciate this is not a pedestrian right of way or highway, but rather a permissive route owned by the national park authority, providing a valuable non-urban corridor designed to take vulnerable users (walkers and cyclists) off the A66, and as a recreational route.”
He added that he also had to reflect on a “very challenging financial outlook” for the authority.
“The authority simply does not have the capital resources available to install lighting on any section of the trail, nor the revenue budget to support the ongoing costs and maintenance of lighting,” he said.
Mr Leafe also asked the town council to appreciate the concerns and views of other members of the Keswick community, adding: “Although lighting may well be welcomed by some users of the trail, it may well prove less popular with other stakeholders or residents who live nearby.”
In an email to the town council, Cllr David Burn, who was not present at the last meeting, said he was keen to hear the views of the public.
“I accept that it would be handy to have a better feel for what people would think about putting lighting on the trail,” he said. “It is important to make clear however that we are not seeking to have street lighting installed; rather we would seek low level bollard lighting which would only illuminate as pedestrians approached and would switch off after they had passed.
“I think we owe it to the young people of the town to take this matter forward so in summary I think we should seek indicative costs for installing low level bollard lighting on this short stretch of the trail and seek the views of those residents who live closest to the area.”
