Disabled resident's anger over large boulders blocking access to Elland park

Elland resident Sandra Lupson complained that boulders and hardcore placed at entrances of the town’s park, which is next to Elland Bridge by the River Calder.

Sandra said she believed the blockages had been put there to prevent a travelling community from gaining access.

But as a person with a disability she said it had caused problems for her and also other people who were unable to navigate a way through.

Sandra said: “I have MS, and use this route regularly on my tricycle to go and do small amounts of shopping.

“I can manage the gentle hill up to the back of the supermarket, but am unable to get up the steeper, short hill from Elland Bridge on the main road, plus I like to keep off the roads wherever possible.

“My issue is why haven’t they left an access gap for pedestrians, parents with pushchairs, wheelchairs and cyclists, as this is a public right of way?”

She said she had spent two weeks from the blockages appearing in mid July and had been promised something would be done but was unhappy with the response over what was a public right of way.

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet member for Public Services and Communities, Coun Susan Press (Lab, Todmorden), said a wider pathway had now been created and apologised for difficulties it had caused.

“Boulders were placed at the entrance to Elland Park to prevent vehicles from accessing the facility.

“We’re sorry that this caused some difficulties for those with mobility problems and would like to thank residents for alerting us to this issue.

“We’ve now relocated the boulders creating a wider pathway through to the park to allow access for wheelchairs, pushchairs and bicycles,” she said.