Wheelchair/pram access for footpaths

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Wheelchair/pram access for footpaths
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Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 12:58 pm Post subject:
Is it rural, semirural or urban? as TD says whatever you do needs to fit.

Northern_Lad

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 14210
Location: Somewhere

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 1:00 pm Post subject:

Behemoth wrote:

as TD says whatever you do needs to fit.

Unfortunatly, you're both right.
I'm just used to walking in the Dales and Lakes where the soil's been warn away so much that the rock shows through.

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 1:02 pm Post subject:
As an idea why not take a walk around some local 'institutional' land who want to appear nice and allow access but keep it controlled/managed. Your local water company reservoir (if there is such a thing) may be a start. It's something we spend quite a lot of time and money on, but onviously the pennines aren't essex.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 1:02 pm Post subject:

Northern_Lad wrote:

I'm just used to walking in the Dales and Lakes where the soil's been warn away so much that the rock shows through.

No rock round here mate (not far from Southend though)

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 1:03 pm Post subject:
Any chance fo a grid reference or location name so I can nosey on the OS website?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 1:04 pm Post subject:

Behemoth wrote:

As an idea why not take a walk around some local 'institutional' land who want to appear nice and allow access but keep it controlled/managed. Your local water company reservoir (if there is such a thing) may be a start. It's something we spend quite a lot of time and money on, but onviously the pennines aren't essex.

Funny enough there's a huge reservoir not 2 miles away, just getting the time to go there....

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 1:10 pm Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

I'd just ensure the paths are kept clear of fallen wood/plants etc and nothing encroaches on them

Good idea, cheap too

Bernie66

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 1:11 pm Post subject:

tahir wrote:

Bernie66 wrote:

Difficult, i would try to control speed rather than access if you are trying to deter hooligans and welcome the kids.

I ain't putting speed bumps in Bernie

Speed bumps would encourage the hooligans as they are something to jump over.
On the Wirral way which is 15 odd miles of old railway line turned into walkway they have fenced off most of the path so handle bars would have to be turned to get bikes through the "open area". The fence is a single bar high enough for wheelchairs and pushchairs to be pushed under but low enough to mean bike riders cannot duck to avoid them. The bar is painted white to avoid accidental collisions.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 1:20 pm Post subject:

tahir wrote:

Treacodactyl wrote:

I'd just ensure the paths are kept clear of fallen wood/plants etc and nothing encroaches on them

Good idea, cheap too

That's the legal requirements IIRC, not sure about who's responsible for the track. It's certainly worth finding out who is leagally responsible to ensure no one trys to claim compensation for tripping over summit. If you can face it I'd go back to the council or have a chat to you public liability insurers to see what they want you to do.

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 1:32 pm Post subject:

Bernie66 wrote:

On the Wirral way which is 15 odd miles of old railway line turned into walkway they have fenced off most of the path so handle bars would have to be turned to get bikes through the "open area". The fence is a single bar high enough for wheelchairs and pushchairs to be pushed under but low enough to mean bike riders cannot duck to avoid them. The bar is painted white to avoid accidental collisions.

We use a sort of A frame tubular steel coinstruction at some of our sites. They allow kiddy bikes through.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 1:45 pm Post subject:
Local Authorities should be obliged to contribute at least 25% of the cost of maintaining access points. When I contacted our I got materials free, though it did take some time, they asked if I was willing to put in kissing gates, I said "yes", but they still sent styles.

bernie-woman

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7824
Location: shropshire

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 3:29 pm Post subject:

In the nature resrve which i help run we installed kissing gates but it hasn't stopped the local youth and their scooter bikes - they just lift them above the gates

We have had slightly more success with making the paths very, very windy - they can't get up a good speed then

In order to look as natural as possible but also to allow wheelchair/pushchair access we have used.. can't think of the right word but I call them chippings - like the stuff you put down before laying a patio. This is held inside soem wooden edging and the chippings have been tamped down using a machine.

Sorry I cannot be more specific - I let the boys do the path work

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 10:03 pm Post subject:
We had the footpaths done in North Devon last summer and they built one style for me and gave me a gate at the other end too. All we provided was labour for the gate. It came from the council, and the money is EU money that is floating around local government apparently. Try them again, if may save you a few pounds.

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18415

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 05 10:26 pm Post subject:

Tahir - kissing gates sound like your best bet (with extended bays). Doesn't matter that you can't buy them off-the-peg. Any self-respecting fencer should be able to design and make you one. Try finding an older, self-employed guy to do the job - more likely to know about that aspect of fencing.

Woodland Trust or National Trust might also keep a list of approved or known contractors used to doing this kind of work for your area.

Is this fencing for your orchard ? Are there deer in the locality ? You'll have to fence them out if there are, as they just love eating young trees.

Lozzie

Joined: 25 May 2005
Posts: 2595

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 05 11:34 am Post subject:

bernie wrote:

can't think of the right word but I call them chippings - like the stuff you put down before laying a patio. This is held inside soem wooden edging and the chippings have been tamped down using a machine.

Sorry I cannot be more specific - I let the boys do the path work

"Scalpings"?

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