Along much
of the route, very little development has taken place to damage or block the trackbed.
There is some significant work
to be done where the A66 crosses the trackbed at Threlkeld and Beckses, mainly new bridges and earthworks, but no need to
divert far from the original route. Knowledge of this “damage” has led some to think that allowing further damage
is therefore somehow “acceptable”.
This is totally wrong - the trackbed is a single entity from end to end, which
occupies the best alignment in three dimensions. Any permanent blockage, which has to be bypassed, can
mean that several miles of new trackbed need to be created and several miles of existing trackbed abandoned - totally wasteful
of land and much more expensive than relaying track on an existing trackbed.
Blocking or severing a trackbed
is like damaging a water main and then wondering why the neighbours complain that they can’t get any water !
Eden District Council
suggested that a “viable” alternative route could be created if the trackbed was blocked at Flusco (to justify
passing damaging planning applications). No figures were quoted.
Here is the reality - which obviously
could upset the economics of the Project.
This analysis was provided to Eden’s Planning Officers but did not reach
Councillors who voted on the applications:
