A TWENTY-YEAR battle to improve an uneven footpath is on the road to victory.
Malpas residents have been lobbying for almost two decades to secure funding to upgrade the Leech Lane track – a principal route used by pedestrians in the village.
The footpath, next to Craddock Court – a sheltered housing block for the elderly – has experienced holes, cracks and flooding for a number of years.
The lane is currently ‘unadopted’, meaning the council has no responsibility for its repair and maintenance.
But now Malpas Parish Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council the Rural West Partnership Board and Chester & District Housing Trust have joined forces to provide funding to improve the lane.
If the lane can be brought up to a high enough standard, the highway authority will adopt it and take over its maintenance.
The improvements will involve tarmacking, and implementing a new drainage system to stop heavy rainfall causing flooding into nearby gardens.
Parish councillors are now in talks with construction companies to come up with a quote to do the work, which is expected to start late summer.
Russ McGinn, a former Malpas parish councillor who has been appointed as contract administrator for the project, has welcomed the move to get the lane upgraded.
“The battle has been getting the lane to a satisfactory standard,” he said.
“It has been a long, arduous process and it does highlight the difficulties we have in rural areas of getting things done.”
Rob Callow, area manager for Rural West, added: “
“A small investment like this will have a big impact, with Leech Lane being such a popular route, and hopefully the community will support it.”
Carmella DeLucia
