Bits and Bobs

As usual a mix of good news and bad news in no particular order.

Grass Cutting.
The Derbyshire Countryside Rangers have mown the verges of R54 between Egginton Junction Bridge and Bearwardcote Farm. Due to the glow worm colony it was not possible to mow between there and Mickleover Station.

Vandalism
The recently installed Bennie Inger Seat on R54 near to Heage Lane has been vandalised. Re-instatement has been carried out.

Illegal Motorcycling.
A dog was killed by an illegal motor cycle on NCN R6.
Erewash Police have confiscated several mini motos being ridden on cycle paths. The machines are being sent to the crusher.

Signs at Breadsall.
Two hand carved wooden signs have been erected on the Breadsall Greenway by Derbyshire Countryside Rangers.

New Pedestrian Crossing.
South Derbyshire District Council have completed work on a new road crossing on The Mease at Hilton. This will form a link in the the Hilton to Uttoxeter section of NCN route 54, as this was a condition of the construction of a new off-road path running to there from Birch Trees Farm at Egginton Junction Bridge.
The path is not yet open as the housing developer Wimpey have yet to complete the final two metres of path and remove some fencing which blocks the route at present.
We hope to see this happen very soon so that we can get on with the re-numbering of the whole route.

Running Race on R54
A 10km road race organised by Rolls-Royce Harriers is planned for the evening of Wednesday 4th August. The race starts from Mickleover Sports Ground on Station Road and goes Westwards along Rabourne Lane returning to the finish line at Mickleover Station from Heage Lane. We will unlock all gates and marshal at those points.
Please let me know if you can help out. You will need to be in position by about 6.45pm.

Burnaston House
The planning application for the re-erection of this (previously) listed building which once stood on Burnaston Airport,(now the Toyota factory), has been withdrawn.
The plan was to rebuild it on agricultural land close by R54 at Radbourne, with access by an old farm crossing of the Greenway
This would have had a serious effect on the glow worm colony as well as the cycle path, and many of us sent in objections as private individuals.

Stolen
A metal gate has been stolen from R54 at Hatton and all our stock of old railway sleepers has been stolen from alongside Mickleover Station.

Route Audit
The signing by Derby City Council of the Derby Orbital Route (NCN Route 66) is not yet completed, but we propose to carry out an audit of this 28 mile route very soon. We have yet to fix a date but all Derby Rangers will be invited to come along.

NCN 54 in Darley Fields
We are to put up Sustrans signs on the short section of R54 which is now on-road through Darley Fields, this replacing the rather unsatisfacory riverside path which is too narrow, subject to flooding, has a very poor surface and usually lots of dog walkers.
Otherwise it wasn't too bad!