EVER cursed the pitted, potted lane which runs through Whitlingham Country Park? I’d always assumed the gaping holes were a natural form of traffic calming. But it turns out that improving the road was simply the last on the park’s “things to do” list. It is in fact the final piece in a jigsaw which has seen an ugly gravel extraction pit transformed into a beautiful gateway to the Wherryman’s Way. The Broads Authority says that Whitlingham Lane will be widened as well as resurfaced. They’re also taking the opportunity to formally ban motorists from parking on the verges ..which I guess had been coming for a while.
David Adler, chairman of the Whitlingham Country Park Charitable Trust said: “We are thrilled that the lane is finally being improved, marking the completion of this stunning amenity. Lafarge and the Trust are rightly proud of this beautiful creation which has become a favourite country haunt for local residents and visitors to the Broads. We hope it will continue to provide opportunities for generations of visitors to enjoy the natural world right on the doorstep of the city of Norwich.”
The road should be re-opened by Christmas. Full press release here.
Hurrah to Steve Silk for putting up a blog with some interesting and well researched thoughts relating to the Wherryman's way.
ReplyDeleteWe will pass around and spread the news of this blogsite.
Can we have a www.loddonmillarts.co.uk url link now to your site Steve - pretty please?
About time too! Whitlingham Lane has been a disgrace for a long time. Before Wherryman's Way, as a "welcome to Norwich" on National Cycle Route 1 it always gave a very poor first impression, to the point of being potentially dangerous in places. There are predictable moans about the prohibition of parking - but I find it a bit sad that there are those who don't wish to pay for the car park but do wish to use the facilities that the fees pay for. Whitlingham is a gem, and as a user I'm happy to pay a little bit to help keep it that way.
ReplyDeleteAs a long standing tax payer of 45 years and a visitor to whitlingham river banks since i was 5 years old catching my first stickleback in a net or jam jar i have recently returned to my favorite childhood haunt and discover that there are still fish to catch.The lane was just as bad in 1953 as it was in Nov 2010 so the use of my taxes has taken a long time for repairs.I have now found to my dismay that if i still wish to drive down to my beloved river to fish that someone on a commitee has come up with the idea that i will have to go to a car park and pay £4 and that £4 will go to improved facilities for the cyclers,walkers, 4X4s and dog owners.As for me i only wish to sit on the banks to fish and nothing has been done to the river bank decay or trees littering the edges.The fine city of Norwich promotes FREE fishing but this is rubbish as you cant get near to the rivers without forking out cash for car parks(which are too far away)or struggle on a bus with your fishing tackle
ReplyDeleteu r right about the car park but u want be able to fish no more because me and a friend were told last night by the police that nobody is allowed to fish there no more that whitlingham country parks are banning fishing from the river banks. a walker
ReplyDeleteAs a family we have spent many happy hours down at Whittlingham Lane over the last 35 years. Picnics, canoeing, dog walking and swimming. No more. Yet another backwater has been sanitized by the tourism developers. No more free parking and no proper access to the river for carrying boats. The road was very pot-holed but it kept the traffic speeds down. The whole atmosphere has been ruined. A final nail in the coffin for us is the control of the carpark. It has been handed over to the same company who control one of the Aldi carparks in Norwich.
ReplyDeleteMy partner enterted the carpark and bought a 1 hour ticket and left before the ticket expired. HOWEVER the parking time is not controlled by the ticket but by the entry and exit camera system. She was one minute over and received a £100 penalty charge. She wrote in to explain but to no avail. BE WARNED! This has spoilt any future enjoyment of the area.
Just ignore the ticket, its a private company not the police of council.
ReplyDeleteSee the money saving expert website for the full legal explanation.
You do not have to pay tickets issued by private companys.