DEAR editor,

Over the past number of years footpaths and rights of way have gradually disappeared, a number being closed by the installation of alley gates, even after the council officer was told that they were rights of way the officer took no notice and had alley gates installed which closed them.

A number of years ago I obtained a copy of a small booklet which gave the numbers and a detailed description of all the footpaths in the Barry Borough Council area. I was asked by a members of the council office staff if I would lend it to him to copy, this I did but it was never returned and I was told that it was misplaced.

I later found the back page which had become detached from it in my files, I think that I was produced in the 60s to conform to the Countryside Act.

I've been told that Bridgend Council still has copies of their definitive map and byways and restricted byways for their area but it seems strange that the Vale Council does not.

It strikes me that this council is more concerned to keep housing developers happy by allowing them to close or divert footpaths than us ratepayers who walk them.

Other points that I would like answers to are, why was the conservation area at Coldbrook Road altered? At the moment Crystal Springs is looking more like a rubbish dump with foundations of buildings, tons of loose rocks that were quarried there, still piled up and and materials from houses that have been renovated and dumped on its site.

It was better kept and tidier when it was a garage and scrap yard.

The other point is Gilbert Lane East when closed should have been turned into a bridal path but barriers were erectd across it, yet under the Department of Transport Design Manual for Roads and Bridges NO HD 39/01 it states "Where possible footways or bridal paths should be wide enough to allow the use of wheelchairs and buggies".

Tom Clemett

Church Road

Barry