Cheshire CC PROW office are investigating a lane near Allgreave in the Peak District. The grid ref is SJ973671 travelling N from Allgreave towards Clough Brook.
There is some historical evidence of legal rights for Horse and Carts to use this lane, from a Highways Network of 1865. There is a problem though, because the course of Clough Brook and the roads have changed since those times!
The PROW officials are very supportive of laning and welcome our cooperation. To keep the lane open, it would be helpful to receive anecdotal evidence from people that used the lane BEFORE the 1970's using a Motor Vehicle.
Meanwhile people are using the lane, but Cheshire CC are not able to confirm our legal right to use this lane. It is unlikely that anyone will contest or challenge you if you drive the lane though. If anyone does drive the lane, it is important to follow the advised ROW as follows;
At Clough Brook the correct ROW is along the course of the stream NOT along the riverbank. The East riverbank is a footpath and continued use of this could undermine efforts to establish our legal use of the lane. The PROW officer at Cheshire CC advised me that the historical ROW was along the West riverbank but as this has disappeared probably due to flood washout the only possible route to justifiable follow is along the river.
This is an old lane that predates the existing road network, but without anectodal evidence establish our legal rights we could lose this. The decision is likely to be completed by July this year.
