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Footpath finally cleared after 20-year campaign
10:40am Tuesday 31st January 2012
AFTER more than two decades, a public right of way in a Hampshire village is pedestrian friendly again.
For years villagers have struggled to clamber over fences and other hurdles along the path at Broughton.
But now, after working with the landowner, Dagan James, the Romsey branch of the Ramblers Association and Hampshire’s rights of way team have improved public access to Broughton footpath no 16.
The path, which crosses land at Manor Farm, links Broughton Road with the Monarch’s Way and Rectory Lane in the village. Romsey Ramblers secretary, Mike Arney, said: “We recorded over a dozen complaints in the last 20 years about the condition of the cross-field section of the path.
“It was usually cropped and the line of the path was not marked out, electric fences were another problem.”
Outlining other challenges walkers faced trying to make their way along the path, Mr Arney added: “The main difficulty was the lack of any sight line when walking both directions. A compass was necessary.”
Mr Arney said fences were put up across the path some time after 2004 blocking pedestrian’s right of way.
“The walker then had to climb four gates if he or she managed to keep to the line of the path, Also, the finger on a four-way sign sent walkers in the wrong direction,” pointed out Mr Arney, who added that, last year, Mr James, who keeps water buffalo at Manor Farm, agreed to fit five heavy-duty gates in the field to make the path more accessible and the Ramblers adjusted them for public use and waymarked the footpath’s route.
Hampshire’s countryside department also fitted a kissing gate where the path enters on to Broughton Road.
Mr James said that, due to his farming business, disruption to the footpath was unavoidable at times.
“I am happy that the footpath situation is now resolved. The farm is an organic livestock enterprise which means occasional temporary electric fences are unavoidable,” said Mr James, adding: “We try to keep this interference to people’s right to roam to a minimum.” A proposal to divert Michelmersh and Timsbury Footpath 4 is currently on hold until the outcome of an appeal into plans to expand a recycling centre at Bunny Lane is known.