Hamble shore path update from Warsash CATS
From: Warsashcats
Subject: CATS Campaign Update
Hello Everyone,
We are continuing to get many emails of suppport for our campaign, thank you to all of you. Sorry we couldn’t reply individually to you all. We are featured again in this month’s Western Wards Gazette so we are anticipating that this will generate further support.
As you know we believe that cyclists have a right to use the path, through long established use. We met with officials from Hampshire County Council earlier this week to determine the best way to get our rights recognised and are investigating a number of options:
1. Statutory designation of the path as a restricted byway
2. Common Law recognition of the right for cyclists to use the path
3. Designation of the path as a cycle track under the Cycle Tracks Act 1984
All of the above will take time. A quicker approach may be to seek a voluntary designation of all or part of the path, but this would require agreement from the landowners. We have been contacting landowners along the route and so far they have been very supportive – there is only one that we know of who is opposed to cyclists using the path and he also seems to be against joggers and pushchair users!
The council officers are at the moment gathering information about the route. This includes the views of the local landowners and the history of cycling the route as shown by the user evidence forms. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET COMPLETED A USER EVIDENCE FORM PLEASE DO SO and send to the Rights Of Way department in HCC.
We are also gathering what other information we can and passing it on to HCC. Related to this there was once a building along or near the path called “Captain’s Cottage”. Does anyone know where this was?
For all those who are continuing to cycle along the path can I ask you to please show consideration to other users. The last thing we want at the moment is to antagonise any of the local landowners or pedestrians who are currently being very supportive.
Also if any of you are challenged or anyone tries to obstruct or prevent you from cycling (or jogging) would you please let us know?
Thank you again for your support,
CATS