Sustrans Working Party
Sunday, January 28, 2007

Sustrans Rangers in Colchester are arranging a work party to clear the Roman River Valley section of National Cycle Network Route 1. 

This is YOUR chance to show your appreciation for the Sustrans paths in Colchester byjoining in the maintainance of one of the key routes.

Lead Ranger (or is it Power Ranger?) Andrew Budd writes: "The off-road section from Olivers at Stanway through to Layer de la Haye is in need of some TLC. 

"How can we help? This beautiful path through the woods of the Roman River Valley has been damaged by a few motor vehicles, with the path edge becoming rutted, and causing the pathside ditches to become blocked. Our working party needs to carry out minor works to about 200 metres of path, to prevent further deterioration, to make it more user friendly for Spring 2007. ECC will need to carry out surfacing work in the spring.

 "What needs to be done by our working party:
1 Our main task will be digging out the damaged sections of ditches to ensure that the path surface drains better into the ditch
2 Drainage work along the ditch, to ensure that the ditch takes water away.
3 We also need to attempt to repair the path edge where it’s been damaged.
4 Unblock the pipe where the ditch goes under the path, and clear outfall ditch to Roman River.
5 Trim back light undergrowth that is growing over the path
6 Clear any fallen trees or branches that obstruct the path (none the last time I looked, but it sounds windy outside)
7 Litter pick – the path and adjacent hedgerows are fairly clear but there might be a few small bags worth?
8 NCNR1 from Lexden to Layer has never been properly signed by ECC/CBC or Sustrans. If you are unable to carry out the physical tasks, a survey of the signing we have already, and what needs to be added or changed, will be very useful. Rangers have info from head office about what is required. It would be handy to do this survey soon so that we can order adequate signs and put up the signs ourselves – see below. 

Next steps: Spring 2007

1.  14/15 April NCN signing weekend national event. Sustrans volunteers should display the signs, ready to promote events on the route this summer

2.  Before summer 2007 Essex County Council need to carry out path surface improvements to protect the public’s investment in this prestigious route. The path has been neglected for a couple of years, and this great asset will seriously deteriorate unless the whole route from Stanway to Layer receives investment.

Programme: You are welcome to join for just part of the day.

We can cycle to the event, centred on Grid Reference 963211. If travelling from Colchester, follow the path into the valley from the end of Olivers Lane, Stanway.

Those using cars could park at Gosbecks car park (2km walk) or Layer Fox (also 2km). Parking on the road at The Cut at Layer is about 1km, but you’ll need a good map!

The event will be led by Andrew Budd. (Formerly a civil engineer, and knows that water flows downhill.) Don’t worry, he will be working, as well as waving his arms around.

9:30 start work on site
12:30 finish morning’s tasks
12:45 you are invited to meet at The Fox PH, at Layer de la Haye crossroads, for lunch. By all means invite our partners/families/friends if they would like to join us for a social event.
14:00 resume working if you have time and energy, and we haven’t finished in the morning!
16:00 it’s getting dark, time to go home.

Bring own tools; working clothes (think about safety and comfort), secateurs for light clearance work, bow-saw for heavier clearance work, spades/shovels for ditch and path surface work, hoe for pipe clearance (?), bags for rubbish, pencil and paper (and Sustrans manual) for sign survey.  Bring your own mid-morning refreshments.

Dangers! There is potential for safety hazards at our working party. We are all responsible for our own safety, and we need to consider the safety of others – working party members and people using the path.

For more information about this event please contact Andrew Budd at sootallures at yahoo.co.uk, replacing "at" with "@".