Oswestry cycle path ‘could scupper rail plans’
Tuesday 6th July 2010, 6:00AM BST.
Rail enthusiasts are claiming that a proposal to build a cycle path to link one of Oswestry’s proposed supermarkets to the town centre would jeopardise their plans for a tourist railway.
Volunteers at Cambrian Heritage Railways have been working for years to bring a train service back to Oswestry. They are hoping to restore a regular service from Gobowen to Oswestry and then on to Blodwel.
But they said today the plan could hit the buffers because of one of Oswestry’s supermarket applications.
Timber firm Richard Burbidge Ltd wants to relocate from its Whittington Road site and create a supermarket, cinema and petrol station. Part of the scheme would involve the building of a cycleway to link the store to the town centre.
But Henry Thomas, from Cambrian Heritage Railways, said members feared the cycleway bid could impinge on their railway plans.
He said there was not enough room to accommodate the cycle path as well as the tracks needed for the new railway.
He said: “We are concerned about how these plans will affect what we are doing.”
He added: “We are not against a cycleway and, in fact, many railway lines have one running alongside.
“We are just concerned that the suggested cycle route will pose problems.”
In response, Burbidge’s planning consultant Peter Vernon said the firm had been assured by Shropshire’s Council that the cycleway and the railway group’s plans were “physically deliverable” at the site and there would be no conflict between the two plans.
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A cycle way, to a supermarket? am i missing something here? who in the town centre would want to go to a supermarket on a bike? how does one go about taking a full shop home on a bike? also if you were only popping out for one or 2 things, you would get them from your local corner shop, not tescos!
its a stupid idea to begin with, let alone trying to build the track on land that they CAN NOT BUILD IT ON LEGALLY!
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As has been said, not everyone shops as though there was a famine coming. I used to collect shopping on a bike every day.
Anyhow, we should always preserve a rail route far into the future – just in case.
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Well I agree with dan,And the people who have come up with this great idea is Tesco & Shropshire Council in partnership !!!!!!
Tesco will be offering the bikes on their Clubcard next!!
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This proposed cycle path is an extension of what has already been created around Unicorn Playing Field and Cabin Lane. What it in effect would do would create a good, fairly level link between that area of town and the town centre,(the whole town centre not just a supermarket) enabling those who don’t have cars, or who prefer to walk/cycle, easy access to the town centre. The plans have existed since before the supermarket proposals, and if the Local Authority can get a developer to pay for it all the better.
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