Sunday 6 December 2015

Pave It All Over

It's happening everywhere else so why not on a nature reserve or SSSI? I've lost count of the pleasant front gardens in my neighbourhood that have disappeared by courtesy of block paving companies and the residents' obsessive desire to own at least three private cars.

So it's hardly a surprise that SRWT is intent on paving over Blacka Moor. This is the Blacka section of the proposed trans-continental Superhighway.



It is well known that road improvements create more traffic and therefore more demand for road improvements. A bit of common sense explains it: a fine stretch of road has to lead somewhere. And once you get to the end of the improved section where do you go?  Here's the end of Cowsick Freeway.



Only one thing to do here - more of the stuff. Anyway it's good business for road builders.


Before our beloved wildlife trust came on the scene this was a narrow and attractive route which got somewhat damp after heavy rainfall but its appearance and condition underfoot had stayed the same for many many years.  SRWT's ideological commitment to 'conservation grazing' changed that. Everywhere has to be grazed. Cows were brought in and spent a large proportion of their time wandering heavily along the path and after a year it had widened considerably. The process continued, enhanced further with the help of the quite splendiferous idea of  destroying any trees that grew close to the path which by now had become as wide as many a minor road. Those naughty trees were draining the water thus obstructing the plans for treeless hillsides and desirable sogginess.

The PRoW continues up the slope.


It comes to the top of the hill, a junction of paths, now earmarked I believe for a modern interchange.


Continuing east the opportunities for more work are clear enough for the heart of any road builder to skip a beat.




But then why hold back? They could surely do the lot. There's plenty of public money just sitting around with nothing to do.

Isn't there?

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