A Way Forward

In a follow-up public meeting, chaired by Cumberland Councillor Dobson on 17th February, Ted Liddle (a countryside access advocate and former surveyor for Sustrans) and Kieran Foster (Access Officer for the Byways & Bridleways Trust) suggested a viable way forward – they outlined how interested citizens could set up a Community Interest Company (CIC) to raise funds to recreate a ‘Greenway’ route that followed the original rail route. Key to success would be the assembly of an evidence base created by local people who can testify that they had used the route as a bridleway, or a walkway or for cycling over the last 20 years or more. The constitution of The Lord Carlisle Heritage Trail was agreed and a nominal membership fee of £5/annum.