The context is another potential debacle; a direct consequence of Sheffield Wildlife Trust's failure to hold RAG (Reserve Advisory Group) meetings for two years, to their shame. And the failures of our local politicians to take their scrutiny role seriously. It's also a comment on the 'Stakeholder Culture' whereby weak management capitulates to pushy single interest groups instead of considering the public as a whole.
It seems management in the Public Rights of Way (PRoW) department of Sheffield City Council (SCC) is well ahead with plans to create a new bridleway on Blacka. This is the first I've heard about it but should not be surprised that SCC departments, who hate the very idea of transparency and public scrutiny, could be keeping us in the dark until plans are advanced.
They have been lobbied by local horse riding groups.
There are 5 kilometres of bridleway on Blacka itself and much more on the adjoining public land. But that is not enough it seems. They must have more.
The pictures here are all taken along the route which would be 3 metres wide at least and constructed with heavy machinery. Wild plants and fungi will be scraped over and covered by imported stone in the usual insensitive way leaving the job unfinished in the hope that time will cover over the clumsy construction.
As for the PRoW team they also like to make out their jobs are necessary. To them the best way of doing that is inventing new projects like this.
An article in this week's Sheffield Telegraph is on a similar subject. I would not use the word 'upgrade' to describe turning an attractive informal path created by the gentle tread of people over many years into something 3 metres wide for machines to use. If it's worse it's a downgrade.
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