Date: 15/03/2010
Youngsters have written to thank the people who made their walk to school a whole lot safer and more enjoyable.
High Peak Borough Council joined forces with Derbyshire County Council to transform the walk to New Mills Primary School by installing new lighting and drainage plus an anti-slip surface.
Focusing on the Meadow Street path, the improvements also featured the cutting back of overgrown bushes.
The work was kick started by New Mills Partnership after it was contacted by a school governor who said that a pupil had been approached by a man loitering in a dark, overgrown area of the path.
The borough council responded by awarding money from its Going Local fund towards the cost of the lighting while the county council contributed most of the funding for the resurfacing and improved drainage.
The makeover was this week described as "absolutely fantastic" by Gillian Tomlinson, school governor and chair of its premises committee.
Fully in agreement was 10-year-old Anna Bagnall, whose letter said: "It's a very big improvement, and the lamps were a brilliant idea. It has made my walk to school much better, and I hope it has for everyone else as well".
Andrew Bingham, the Borough Council's Executive Councillor for Social and Community Development, added: "I'm delighted that the two councils have been able to work so effectively with the partnership to respond so promptly to a clear public need".
His words were echoed by Borough Council Leader Tony Ashton: "These improvements underline our commitment and that of the county council to improving community safety. Now that the path has been improved, it will also encourage pedestrians to use it more often, which is good news for the environment and for healthy lifestyles".
Derbyshire county councillor Beth Atkins added: "Both councils attach huge importance to their statutory duty of community safety. The New Mills project shows that we will always act quickly where the security and well being of residents is concerned".