Mill Hill Park Pontefract, West Yorkshire: What was a public path will now be somebody's drive

One hundred yards away from The King's School, Pontefract were some allotments and a swing park, through which, amongst other things, many pupils would pass every school day on their way to and from Pontefract Town Center. A couple of years ago the route was blocked by, I presume, The local authority. Now it is a building site and is impassable.

Mill Hill Park from the air showing the closed route in red (slightly less tha 600m from the point of divergance near the King's School to Roperegate end in the North East) and the alternative routes, by very busy road (olive, just over 600m and yellow, about 700m)

I don't know if the red route through the park was a public right of way. What I do know is that hordes of kids used to risk life and limb every day when crossing the main road at Town End, to enjoy a footpath which was hardly any shorter than the alternative, until some greedy or retarded WMDC officer decided to fence the path off.

The following arguments should be understood and refuted as in:

• These these kids were putting themselves in danger by not using the pedestrian crossings

  If pedestrians are put in danger, ways should be found to minimise, or compensate for, that danger which do not involve the removal of freedom of choice.

• These these kids were putting themselves in danger by walking on an unkept path

  As above - If lots of people use a path we should be looking for ways to improve it, not shutting it.

• These these kids were posing a threat to local residents

  If kids misbehave this is not a function of a footpath. It may be the influence of television, drugs, computer games, bad parenting or poor guidance, but it is nothing whatsoever to do with allowing Kids freedom to walk in a more pleasant environment. By moving the kids at best you are only moving the problem elsewhere, but you are probably exacerbating it. If people are NIMBY's, that is their perogative, but their claims should not be made under the pretense of social welfare

The King's School is an example where the needs of pupils, and the community, regarding getting to school have been systematically eroded (See Theft of Paths and Lack of Access). By making walking more difficult only one outcome can be predicted - that alternative options will be explored. Fine (not), but please don't let any transport planner tell you they want to promote sustainablity when they perform their jobs with such overwhelming incompetence as the officers at Newton Bar, Wakefield Met.

"Progress"