Call for action on historic steps
The ‘40 steps’ near Charnley Fold in Bamber Bridge - a path leading to the River Darwen with grassed play areas - was closed to the public by Lancashire County Council (LCC) in January on safety grounds.
But almost five months on, locals say they frustrated with a lack of action.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAnn Nihill, 73, of Cottage Lane, Bamber Bridge, has collected signatures from local residents and traders, calling for restorative work to be done soon.
She said: “The 40 Steps is special to the people of Bamber Bridge, it’s like our Avenham Park.
“It’s where we roll our Easter eggs and where I played as a child, going down the hill in cardboard boxes.
“LCC have told me that the banking has been washed away and there’s safety issues.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“There’s a notice saying it could be closed for six months. But we’re coming up to that and there appears to be no action.
“It’s not something local people will forget about, but when I ring up about it I get passed around from person to person, and nobody is forthcoming with any information.”
LCC has a duty to restore the right of way and it is believed investigations are ongoing into how the banking has failed and what can be done to prevent it in the future.
A spokesman for LCC said: “We have closed this footpath for safety as the hillside and the footpath have eroded, making the area unsafe.
“We are currently investigating potential solutions to restore access.”
The 40 Steps area is believed to have been created around 1860, during the Cotton Famine.