Friends of the Engine Fields - News

Flooding on the Railway Track - for over 2 years the section of the Railway Track where it passes under the A65 has been flooded, preventing children from Westfield School and other walkers using this route from Yeadon to the Coach Road. For a long while the flooding was thought to be the result of the recent wet weather but in March 2003 water was spotted flowing down the steps from the A65.

From here on the saga gets complicated, but the key players are Leeds Development Agency (the owners of the Railway Track although they didn't know it), Leeds Council (including a very useful contact who knew just who to talk to) and, as you've probably guessed, the villain of the piece, Yorkshire Water.

2003

First phone call to LDA - who deny that it is their land (not very wise, we've a old letter from them admitting ownership)
24th March - First phone call to Yorkshire Water - "it isn't their problem"
First visit by Yorkshire Water - well maybe it could be our water
24th April - First hole dug - result: no change
A lot phone calls
29th May - Second hole dug - result: No Change (or is it a bit worse?)
More phone calls result: and yet another inspection promised
11th June - Third hole dug - no sign as yet that they've found the leak but the do seem to have found some power cables.
25th June - Not content with digging in the road Yorkshire Water have now dug up the steps from the road down to the leak (leaving quite a mess). There is no change in the amount of water coming out of the hole but, as you've probably guessed, another blue square has been marked on the road near by, another hole is expected soon.

2004

March - After repeated visits Yorkshire Water discovered the "source" of the water - it was coming from a nearby British Telecoms manhole. Satisfied that it wasn't "their" water they disowned the problem.
April - Leeds Council began to worry about what the water was doing to the bridge foundations and began asking questions.

Unfortunately even when the leak has been plugged it will take a while for the area to dry out and the path will need rebuilding, along with the steps giving access at that point. Thanks to Jack Schofield of the Friends (who has made over 10 phone calls so far(as of April 2004) and councillor Graham Latty.

The Path from Crofters Lea - not far away, close to where the Railway Track meets Milners Road, another drama was unfolding. Long before the houses of Crofters Lea were built there was a footpath running across the land to meet up with the Railway Track. One of the requirements of planning permission was that this path should be retained.

Unfortunately Highways Department (that's Leeds Council's Highways Department, not the Highways Agency) were involved and, without applying for planning permission, specified a high quality, wheelchair friendly, path down the steep bank to the Railway Track (never mind that the Railway Track path itself is in need of repair). This would have required the removal of trees along a 100 metre section of the embankment.

Fortunately local residents spotted the work at an early phase and prompt action by another councillor, Stuart Andrew, stopped the work. Now it has been agreed that the planned path was inappropriate for the site and a simple set of steps will be built. Fortunately only 3 trees were lost in the process.

Lastly some Good News - Back when the 2nd phase of Crofters Lea was submitted for planning permission Peter Middleton of Aireborough Civic Society was involved in negotiations with Leeds Leisure Services and the Developer over how the 106 monies (money paid by the developer when a development is too small to have its own park or playground) should be spent.

Thanks to his efforts it as agreed that the money, about £23,000, would be spent on improving the footpath that runs along the railway track. At a recent meeting of Aireborough CIT this was confirmed. Unfortunately this is not sufficient to refurbish the whole length of this path, especially the flooded section under the A65.