§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice she has received from the Government Office for the South East on the use of her powers to create an order for a footpath under the flood arch on the A404 at Bisham, Berkshire, as a diversion of footpath Bisham. [58825]
§ Alun Michael[holding answer 23 May 2002]The question refers to a footpath (Bisham 9) which crosses the A404 near Maidenhead, a busy dual carriageway which links the M4 and M40. Although the path is well used and traffic speeds are typically 60–70 mph, no crossing facilities are provided. Accidents have occurred and the situation is recognised as being dangerous. It was suggested by the Ramblers Association that a culvert under the road a short distance away could be used by walkers. The Highways agency has no objection to this, but it would require the diversion of the path to the culvert crossing point. The Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, as highway authority, made a diversion order under S119 of the Highways Act, but when the landowner objected they withdrew the order, rather than sending to the Secretary of State for confirmation. Instead, they proposed a new route taking the path some half a kilometre along the road to another culvert, which is already to be used as a crossing for another path. The Ramblers say that the alternative path is circuitous, inconvenient and inferior to their proposed route in many ways. It would also leave the present dangerous crossing point open. From the information that we gathered from the parties concerned, there appears to be some justification in these criticisms, I have asked lawyers for advice on these issues in order to come to a conclusion on the way forward as quickly as possible.