Paths of glory

From the archive, first published Saturday 23rd Feb 2008.

Walkers and cyclists are enjoying a once waterlogged path that has a new lease of life.

An 800 metre section of the railway footpath that runs from Otley bypass along the backs of houses on Bradford Road has been refurbished by the Railway Footpath Group (RFG) which obtained an environmental grant.

The route is barely passable in winter due to water and mud, but the work - phase two of the group's improvements to the path - has changed that.

RFG secretary Kevin Cooney said: "This has transformed an 800 metre section of wet and muddy path which runs from the bypass along the back of properties on Bradford Road, and links with a section completed a couple of years earlier.

"At this time of year walkers would normally be wading through several sections of it rather than walking.

"In the last couple of weeks I have spoken to a good number of people on the footpath and they tell me they are

really delighted with the improvements.''