It’s the pantomime season. This year’s production by the Bury Planning Department Players is Aladdin.

The synopsis is about finding funding for the proposed cycle path at the former Holcombe Brook branch line. There is funding. Oh no there isn’t! Oh yes there is! Let’s rub the Magic Lamp to find out.

A notice has appeared on the fencing at the entrance to the proposed cycle path indicating uncertainty about obtaining the required funding. Strange that. There were serious doubts about it even at the time tenders were being invited to chop down the trees.

For 17 years residents living near the old railway cutting in Brandlesholme Road have endured one pantomime experience after another — planning proposals, refusals, withdrawals etc.

With this last performance there is a hint of the Wishy Washy, a quid pro quo with developers who want to build houses alongside the cycle path. The Highways Department have their own script too. Their proposition is traffic lights. Why, when the idea of building the cycle path is to help “to address transport congestion”. (CPO Order 2009). Traffic lights and two dozen more houses don’t fit that model.

David Ternent Brandlesholme Road Bury