As resident know from past updates, the Leeds City Council Legal Team have been in long and drawn out conversations regarding the closure or restriction of access to the above “ginnel” to prevent issue related to quad and motor bike use, antisocial behaviour and to help aid in crime prevention. We know this is a priority for residents.
The huge delays are being caused by Network Rail not accepting ownership of a very small segment of the land within the ginnel – despite owning all off the surrounding land. They have said once this is resolved they will accept ongoing liability for the land once access has been restricted.
The plan is now to “advertise” the want to remove the Highways Adoption on the land and use this as a proxy to see if anyone claims ownership of the unclaimed segment. If no one does – Network Rail have indicated, they will accept ownership without the need of a complex and costly legal order.
With this done, the next step will be to secure the removal of the Highways Adoption via the courts based on the need to remove it to prevent antisocial behaviour and criminality.
It is at this point that we will now if the court will allow us to close off access to the ginnel fully or just to just restrict it.
The legal team will provide an update by the end of January.
We will keep pushing for this issue to be resolved – it has taken years to reach this stage on and what should be a simple matter of improve the safety and security of residents. Sadly, it has been anything but simple.
MAKING YOUR PRIORITIES, MY PRIORITIES is my commitment to the people of Hunslet, Beeston, Leeds City Centre and Riverside. But I can only keep doing that with your help. VOTE WRAY THURSDAY 4TH MAY.
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