Important Wantage Footway Rebuilt With Help From Local Developers

12.00.00am GMT Tue 14th Feb 2006

One of Wantage's most used town centre footpaths is being rebuilt and widened after a long campaign by local Councillors.

Footpath 13 is used daily by hundreds of people and school children from north west Wantage as a traffic free thoroughfare to Wantage town centre. In recent years its dangerous surface, poor lighting and narrow, hedged-in width attracted complaints, especially from the elderly and disabled.

With monies from local developers, the first phase of the rebuilding, widening, and lighting of this thoroughfare has just been completed. The second renovation phase, on the section leading directly into the town centre, will start in the next few months - also paid for by developers.

Jim Moley, local Lib Dem Councillor, said:"I have worked hard with other Lib Dem Councillors Jenny Hannaby and Lorraine Todd to solve this long-standing problem affecting hundred of Wantage residents each day. The state of the pathway has been overlooked by the Tory County Council for some time, so we had to take action ourselves. After vigorous Lib/Dem campaigning, through the planning process, these dangerous problems are finally being sorted with monies from developers,

"In a few months the second phase will start, which will offer innovative solutions to the extremely narrow final section, with added environmental improvements."

Jim concluded: "I have received enthusiastic responses to the radical improvements of the first renovation phase and would ask for patience for a few months for work to start on the final phase. I would especially like to thank the planning officers of Vale of White Horse District Council, who have worked so hard on this challenge.'