Trail plan for disused rail line to be discussed

The six-mile (9.6km) route runs between Garsdale Station and Hawes

Plans to create an accessible trail along a disused railway line in the Yorkshire Dales are to be considered.

The six-mile (9.6km) route between Garsdale Station and Hawes would be available to walkers, wheelchair users, cyclists and horse riders, according to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA).

The route, which closed in 1954, is currently protected in local planning documents to preserve the option of reinstating the railway.

However, members of the authority will soon be asked to support plans to establish access along the former Wensleydale railway line.

A spokesperson for YDNPA said 2,300 people took part in a public consultation on the scheme, with more than 80% backing it.

A land agent had since been employed to work with landowners along the route to secure access agreements, with the authority now considering a formal public path creation order under the Highways Act 1980.

Garsdale Station is located in the Yorkshire Dales National Park on the Settle and Carlisle line

Lizzie Bushby, deputy chair for recreation management at YDNPA, said many local residents had "spoken movingly about the need for a safe way for children to walk and cycle away from the fast and narrow roads that pose daily risks".

"It's now down to us to make this happen and the decision that members will take is an important milestone in that journey," she said.

A YDNPA spokesperson said the project offered "real potential to boost the local economy, encouraging sustainable tourism and supporting local business in the Upper Wensleydale area".

The plan is set to be discussed at a YDNPA meeting on 30 September.

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