Council chiefs pledge to consider action to resolve footpath flooding on route to Peterborough school
Action could be taken by Peterborough City Council to improve a flood-prone footpath that is regularly used by children going to school.
Council highways chiefs say they are considering measures that could be taken to ease the flooding of the footpath that is used by youngsters in Yaxley, and which is off Queen Street and goes via Hampton Water, to get to Hampton Gardens School in Hartland Avenue.
The footpath has been a source of concern for parents for some time as their children often arrive at school with muddy and wet shoes and clothing as the footpath floods extensively when it rains.
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Many say the footpath is the safest way to school for children as the alternative route is alongside the buys A15.
Cllr Angus Ellis, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “We are aware of concerns regarding the condition of the path linking the Hampton Gardens area and Hampton Gardens School during periods of wet weather.
"The route in question is a public right of way rather than an adopted highway footway.
"Whilst it was improved several years ago from a grass track to a wider unbound path, parts of the route can become waterlogged following prolonged or heavy rainfall due to local ground conditions and the surrounding land levels.
"Our Public Rights of Way team is currently reviewing the location and will undertake further inspections during wet weather conditions to identify whether any practical maintenance measures can be introduced to improve drainage and reduce standing water.
"A more extensive upgrade, such as resurfacing the entire route would require significant investment and is not currently included within our Public Rights of Way maintenance budget.
"Any such improvements would need to be considered and prioritised through future infrastructure or improvement programmes.
"In the meantime, we will continue to monitor the situation and investigate measures to help improve conditions for path users."
Parent Ian Bowskill, of Yaxley, told the Peterborough Telegraph: “Even just a little rain means this pathway is itself liable to flooding and this results in pupils arriving at school in the morning and at home in the afternoon covered in mud and sometimes also wet.
“We’ve had 120 people say their child uses this path and they are getting fed up with their children coming home wet and muddy each day.”