Worcester, Bromyard and Leominster railway walking bid slammed

Tom Fisher, of WBL Greenway, has been meeting with local groups and councils to update them on the big plans for the former Worcester, Bromyard and Leominster railway line.

But one parish council was left less than impressed by his rose-tinted vision for the line which was last used in 1964.

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Minutes from Hatfield Group Parish Council's on September 28 said councillor Robert Hanson and the clerk Susan Hanson had attended the presentation at Grange Court, Leominster.

But they reported back to the council that the idea for the walking, cycling and horse-riding route would cost "well over" £6 million in fencing and road surfaces alone.

They said the defunct railway line was sold off to landowners 70 years ago and was now in private ownership.

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"Some bridges and the old line had been bulldozed and incorporated into fields etc, parts had been left as wildlife havens," they added.

This affected several landowners in the Hatfield and Docklow, near Leominster, "most of whom were not in favour of the scheme".

"The gentleman giving the presentation was totally impervious to the comments and concerns of people present," the minutes added.

Ward councillor John Harrington, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for infrastructure and transport, told the council meeting that the county council was not fully in support of the proposal.

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Coun Harrington said that Tom Fisher "hadn’t thoroughly researched the project or carried out accurate surveys".

He also hadn't contacted any of the landowners concerned.

Coun Harrington said he had also received "numerous complaints" about the meeting and the "inaccuracies".

The greenway group's website said that £4 million could be put into the local economy every year from the greenway, with total development costs of up to £5.9 million.