THE Ramblers Association has pledged to take Herefordshire Council to court over a closed footpath, writes ANITA HOWELLS.
It has been battling to get the right of way in Eardisland, washed away by the River Arrow, re-opened for the past two years.
Village rambler, Greta Pennington, said the association has given up waiting for the council to take action.
"This has been proceeding for two years now, so we are going ahead with legal action. The council agrees it has a legal duty to maintain and re-open it. They say they are going to take steps to do something but it requires agreement with one of the landowners, but they have been saying that for two years," she said.
Herefordshire Council's former cabinet member for the environment, Chris Grover, says it is the council's obligation to reinstate the footpath nearest to where it fell into the river.
"The council has agreed to reinstate the footpath but not to do the work. It is the responsibility of the landowner to improve the land," he said.
Mr Grover was at a meeting of Eardisland Parish Council in March, attended by 30 villagers fighting to re-open their footpath. Also present was public rights of way officer, Rob Hemblade, who agreed a course of action to be taken.
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