Applications

Rosebank Stubbins

Sheephey Stubbins

Old Joeys Stacksteads

Work is ongoing to gather evidence for DMMO applications to claim bridleway status.

Stubbylee Lane from Cutler Lane to New Line Bacup

Update:  A public inquiry in November 2019 found the route to be bridleway and included the section through Heightbarn Farm to New Line. A section 130 notice has been served on Mrs Thorpe as the gate is still locked.

Waingate from Newchurch Road to Hurst Lane Rawtenstall

Update: Order confirmed. The route now has bridleway status.

Excellent historical evidence for this application along with some good user evidence. The order was made in 2018 and was confirmed without objection

Clowbridge – from the sailing club to bridleway 15

This application was on user evidence and no objections were received from UU so the order was made and the path upgraded to bridleway in October 2018.

Britannia Greenway Bacup

Now surfaced in horse friendly Nu-Phalt.

Cob Castle Road Haslingden

Update: The route was upgraded to bridleway in 2019 but needs significant work. I have successfully applied for a grant from LEF and the work is due to be done over winter 2023/4.

Hardsough Lane, Edenfield

Update: After a public inquiry in March 2020 the whole route, Hardsough Lane and Irongate Lane, was upgraded to bridleway.

Goodshaw to Red Moss

This was a claim made by LCC as part of the Rights of Way Improvement Plan. It runs from Goodshaw Lane to Red Moss via Compstons Cross. United Utilities didn’t object so the order was confirmed in 2011 and the route opened to riders in 2012.

Riverside path from Blackwood Road to Acre Mill Road Stacksteads

This path was created by Rossendale Borough Council’s Access Officer in 1991 but when LCC took over rights of way some years later they refused to recognise it as bridleway, in spite of horse gates and horse stiles, so using evidence from 40+horse riders in 2011 we applied for a DMMO to upgrade the path to bridleway.  The application was successful and the order was made in May 2018 and confirmed in September 2018.  Talk about a waste of hours of our time!  Regular users of the route will know that last year LCC built a huge bridge for the CYCLISTS!!  Of course, everyone thought it was for horse riders.

Stacksteads Railway line and links

As everyone probably knows the Stacksteads Railway line was eventually dedicated by LCC as part of a Paths4Communities Scheme project by Profitts of Haslingden who applied for the grant to work on the route.  It was opened in 2013 by the Mayor.  But then in 2015 LCC started work to tarmac the path as it was earmarked as part of the National Cycleway Network route 6, so we had a mounted demonstration to stop the work.  All ended well some two years later when LCC decided to use a rubber compound instead which turned out to be cheaper than tarmac.

Onchan Road to Tong Lane, Bacup

A claim was been submitted to LCC for this link by Sue Fletcher as barriers had been put in to stop horses. It was based on user evidence and no objections were received. The bridleway was confirmed and the builder removed the barriers.

Bury Old Road claim
To download the claim as a Word document click the above link in this cell

The claim was submitted in 2004 but an order was not made for some time in spite of LCC saying that it was the best researched claim they had seen! This hold up is due to the NERC act (backdated to 2002) which disallows byway claims. Bury Old Road is a byway and objections have been made by some users and people who live on the route who have vehicular access rights on it.
The date for a Public Hearing was set for 19 June 2012 and the inspector’s decision was to make the route restricted byway with a few sections of byway open to all traffic in a couple of places.

The section from Gincroft Lane to the Plunge was badly eroded by the 2015 floods but restoration work is due Spring 2019.

Maden Road
Detailed Notes
Lancashire Evening Telegraph Article
Press Release
There are three documents you can download on this claim. To download them as Word documents you should click the relevant link in this cell

This claim was to upgrade a string of footpaths to bridleway using evidence from 40+ riders.  It was successful after a two day Public Inquiry in 2006.

Boarsgreave

The route was found by an Inspector at Public Inquiry to be bridleway and although it took a couple of years for LCC to get a large item of farm machinery moved from in front of a gate access is now available from Cowpe to Rooley Moor Road.