Council begins court action over damaged cycle path

Nottinghamshire County Council says it has begun legal proceedings against the suspected perpetrators of damage that led to a public path being forced to close more than two years ago.

The pedestrian and cycle "greenway" route, linking Radcliffe-on-Trent to Cotgrave, closed in January 2024 after unauthorised work destabilised an embankment.

A spokesperson for the authority said: "After detailed and tireless work by our officers, we have now been able to commence court action against those we believe are responsible for the damage."

But the authority added that the route would still be closed for the foreseeable future.

The spokesperson said: "We appreciate that the permissive multi-user route between Radcliffe-on-Trent and Cotgrave has been a well-used and valued amenity for local people.

"[We] fully understand the frustration of residents in not having the option to use it."

Despite looking into temporary solutions to partially re-open the route, the spokesperson said one had not been found yet.

In addition to the court action, Nottinghamshire County Council also pleaded for members of the public to not ignore the closure barriers.

"We are having to spend a lot of additional time and taxpayers' money in repairing and reinforcing the barriers at either end of the closed section," it said.

"In order to avoid these continued costs, as well as to ensure safety, we would ask that all members of the public respect the measures that have been put in place and stop gaining access to this section.

"All additional work has been necessary to keep people safe and has come at a cost which, unfortunately, has not been budgeted for."

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