Official Opening?

A view of the newly surfaced (and substantially widened) bridleway near the stepping stones. This has to pass for what the local functionaries call 'improvement'. In the same way that new motorways are an ‘improvement’ on what was there before them. I’ve been avoiding going down here while the work was going on. There’s only one thing to do now: invite the Minister of Transport (constituency not far away) to come along for an official opening.

This is part of the general trend to make any path or track fit for juggernauts. Not surprising that users are stunned at the mindless insensitivity. Mountain bikers' representatives have been eloquent in expressing their disgust and I'm grateful for that. And as more people get to see it more complaints will follow. This is the work of Sheffield’s Public Rights of Way team.  At the stepping stones themselves another shock: the old stones have been removed and replaced with new ones.

Are we really going to stand by while they sanitise everything?  That’s the trend now. More and more management and more and more intervention. Somewhere back at the office on a dusty piece of paper is a documented justification.