UKC

Along with a large group we wanted to do the railway walk from Threlkeld to Keswick a very pleasant easy day for a change, but then we found that the bridges destroyed during the flooding in December 2015 ( three years ago) have still not been replaced. This is a major tourist attraction of that area for walkers, cyclers and handicapped people, the question is, why have they not been replaced ? I would write up to the responsible authority but I don't know which it is.

Money for one,

Access for the size of machinery that they will need is tricky

Planning - to include the wishes of the team that wish to re instate the railway

Planning to mitigate the risks of it happening again.

Prioritizing all of the many other bridges and damaged paths that were washed out at the same time.

It is a shame but I understood that things were in hand.

Now it provodes a 2.5 Km marker for the Keswick Parkrun.

Soon

Robin

It's also part of the C2C cycle route administered by Sustrans. Their website states "we are working to put in place a diversion". So only 3 years and counting! 

You could have just done a quick search (like I did just now ); the first result from the link below

http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/caringfor/localcommunities/northern-lake-dis...

"Latest information

Update: 5 December 2018 

A £7.9 million funding package has been agreed to allow work to start on the final phase of reconnecting the Keswick to Threlkeld multi user trail which was severely damaged in Storm Desmond three years ago to the day (5 December).

The 5 December 2018 is an important milestone in this complex project which has required significant work to get to this stage, and it is fitting that key funding partners and local users gathered to mark this development exactly three years since the fateful storm.

Funding has been approved so far from Highways England and the European Regional Development Fund. Additionally, community fundraising by the Lake District Foundation has resulted in a £130,000 donation all which will enable the project to go ahead. Find out more... " ...at the web address above

As per the previous post, funding, including a fair amount donated by locals, has now been raised so work can start.

You can still access Threlkeld, there's a fingerpost that takes you off through Brundleholme, but it's a bit of a slog and not as nice a walk.

I understsnd your disappointment, but where did you think the money would come from to fix it?

I'm not sure you have really understood the massive scale of the damage caused and the need to prioritise day to day practicalities over leisure users.

Are you aware of how underfunded per head the population of Cumbria is as compared with more urban or Scottish situations?

 Maybe the priority was to get the major infrastructure open before doing a minor walking and cycle route? The damage from that storm was immense. There is an alternative route along a road that is "closed" which is good on a bike. The good news is that it should open again next year. 

Thanks everyone for your responses and yes I do appreciate the funding costs, but if this had been in Switzerland , Germany or most other countries in an area relying on tourism it would most certainly have been done by now. But we all do have our own opinions I acknowledge.

Add to that the relative pittance that walking and cycling infrastructure gets in England (equivalent to £2 per head).  This needs to be raised to at least £20 per head to make cycling for local journeys attractive and safe enough for the masses.

The C2C plays an important role in supporting the local economies of places through which it passes and it's good to see that funding has eventually been secured to fix this important section. 

Thank you Wry Spudding I've followed your advice and I'm now better informed, 7.9 m Wow I've been and looked at the various river crossing and now appreciate the enormity of the many problems they must be facing, it's a mammoth task.