Parish councillors have objected to plans to extend a stretch of the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Trail (K2T) between Burns Road and Station Road at St John’s-in-the-Vale.
Threlkeld Parish Council is to indicate to the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) that they are supportive of the views of a local landowner who addressed the March meeting to oppose further development of the trail in that area.
The landowner said it should continue to be maintained as a gravel footpath and was not in favour of it becoming part of the K2T footpath extension due to the lack of infrastructure, such as toilets, and the potential for over development of a natural space.
They propose extending the Keswick to Threlkeld route to go under the A66 to Burns Road, then on past the LDNPA’s Threlkeld office and Threlkeld Quarry ending at the recreation field car park at Threlkeld Cricket Club. The aim is to improve the safety and the enjoyment of the route for locals and visitors and to reduce traffic pressure on communities. The LDNPA says the proposal will also improve accessibility for disabled people and families with pushchairs and fill in a missing link in the National Cycle Network.
Last year The Keswick Reminder reported on an online survey conducted by the LDNPA in which 75 per cent of the 344 responses supported all of the proposed changes while 13 per cent agreed to most while 12 per cent were not in agreement to any of the suggestions.
The landowner raised concerns about the quality of the data obtained from the LDNPA consultation, specifically relating to what the levels of support were for the project from within the local area – Threlkeld and Threlkeld Quarry parish. The landowner said the LDNPA had confirmed that there were 67 responses from within this area, which equates to 19.7 per cent of the responses received. Out of the 67 local responses, 35 were not supportive of the extension and 32 were supportive.
Another member of the public raised concerns about the parking issues that already exist on the Burns Road adding that the proposal was likely to exacerbate the issue, along with the ongoing lack of toilet provision and human fouling in the locality.
It was noted that the money that is going to be spent on the Keswick to Threlkeld trail extension could be better used in maintaining and repairing the existing public right of way (PROW) in the area.
Cllr Jill Hebson had asked for the matter to be put on the agenda due to how much of the proposed route was within Threlkeld parish. She proposed that the parish council support the landowners of this stretch in objecting to the proposed development and this was supported by councillors. The clerk is to submit the comments and concerns raised to the LDNPA.
l Meanwhile, a meeting of the neighbouring St John’s, Castlerigg and Wythburn Parish Council also heard from two landowners opposed to the proposed extension of the route.
One of the landowners confirmed that the path is permissive and will remain so but expressed opposition to any increase in pedestrian traffic without appropriate infrastructure in place, particularly parking and toilet facilities. Concerns were also raised by local residents about the safety of accessing the cricket club car park, which is directly off the A66.
Cllr David Felton, a director of the community coffee shop at Threlkeld Village Hall, voiced concerns that the proposed extension might divert visitors away from village businesses and towards those located within Threlkeld Quarry. He noted that this potential economic impact had not been considered in any of the LDNPA’s published documents.
In response, Mr Peter Walter, from the LDNPA, highlighted that the proposed extension would enhance access to existing parking facilities at the national park depot and the cricket club. He acknowledged the concerns around toilet provision but stated that there is currently no funding available for the development of public toilets, which is why such infrastructure is not included in the current proposal.
He emphasised that the LDNPA has a statutory duty to promote access to the national park and represent the views and interests of the wider public, not only those of local residents. He also outlined potential benefits of the extension, including increased tourism, improved accessibility, and support for local businesses.
The issue is to be placed on the agenda of the May meeting for a formal resolution about the extension to be made.
