Bethany Lane saved from the rat run

Bethany Lane has been closed as a road for 12 months, but still operates as a bridleway

Bethany Lane in Newhey has been temporarily closed as a road to vehicles for 12 months with the hope of a permanent closure.

A popular bridleway in Newhey, Bethany Lane is usually a safe route, avoiding the main Huddersfield Road. With the recent gas works creating severe delays in traffic, the lane has become something of a rat run for vehicles, particularly when there are traffic problems on the M62.

This increase in traffic has caused problems for the residents including damage to the boundary walls and is a serious hazard to riders, cyclists and walkers, leading residents and Councillor Andy Kelly to try and stop vehicles using the lane as a rat run.

Despite Bethany Lane being a bridleway with no vehicular access, this has not been straightforward, it was also adopted as a highway for vehicles several years ago to provide maintained access for residents. However, no-one appears to have considered the implications of this for the safety of its use as a bridleway, local traffic ‘got away with it’ for many years as only they knew of - and used - the route, and were used to encountering horse riders, cyclists and walkers.

Nevertheless, the residents have won and managed to gain a temporary closure of Bethany Lane as a highway for 12 months, a move which has been supported and backed by The Milnrow and Newhey Bridleway Group. The aim is to make this closure permanent so horse riders, cyclists and walkers will be able to continue to safely use this route as a bridleway.

Councillor Kelly said: “I would like to thank the residents who were organised enough to call a meeting and work together to close the road. It shows what good people can do if they really work together and has led to a few other projects in the area.”