Green Party councillors and members have carried out the second stage of rendering the cycling and walking path from Needham to Stowmarket usable again. The work has involved cutting back hedges and clearing earth and undergrowth to reveal the full path width. At the same time litter has been removed throughout the two and a half mile stretch.
Although part of the Sustrans National Cycle Network the path is continually invaded by hedgerow trees, brambles and undergrowth often making it impassable.
Keen cyclist and councillor! for Badley and Needham, Dr Ross Piper said: “We want to promote active travel both for people’s health and well-being and also to reduce traffic emissions for short journeys such as Stowmarket to Needham. When the work is completed, we’ll let everyone in Needham and Stowmarket know there is a good quality route to ride. “
The Green councillors will be writing to the local County Councillor Kay Oakes and Paul West the Suffolk cabinet member for highways, calling for regular maintenance of the path, which is currently used mainly by hardened cyclists and joggers.
Councillor Miles Row who represents the Combs Ford end of the path added: “Green Party councillors and members have carried out the second stage of rendering the cycling and walking path from Needham to Stowmarket usable again. The work has involved cutting back hedges and clearing Earth and leaves to reveal the full path width. At the same time litter has been removed throughout the two-and-a-half-mile stretch.
“Not everyone has a car and can drive so we need to keep these key destinations available to everyone. In addition, Mid Suffolk has a significant tourist sector of our economy, and visitors on bikes should not be deterred by adverse conditions.”
The team will be back in another couple of weeks for one final push targeting a couple of remaining short stretches. Then they want to see it kept fully open by sufficient routine maintenance.
