Fanntastic news. As someone who lives in the Peak District and has seen the incredible speed of destruction caused by the expansion of Backdale Quarry and the mess being made on the edge itself this is really great to hear.
Last time I walked on Longstone Edge, just a few weeks ago, I found it a depressing experience; as well as the destruction at the Backdale end of the Edge, there is a great deal of recent quarrying in the central part of it. We also saw at least eight off road vehicles churning up the place - admittedly on byways where they are allowed - but also fifteen or so off road motorcyclists, who were riding on footpaths, bridleways and anywhere else they fancied.
Walking down towards Back Dale we then saw a lot of fly tipping in the disused quarry workings, including several kitchen units and a fridge. Although the Peak Park have managed to do something about the quarrying, they seriously need to look at ways of preventing further degradation of the Edge by controlling vehicular access to it, which has made it a prime site for fly tipping. Derbyshire Dales District Council could also help by improving access to sites (you have to travel to Ashbourne or Chesterfield at the moment) to dispose of builders waste and refuse - if there was somewhere legal to dump old kitchens then perhaps they wouldn't end up in a disused quarry on the Edge.
Posted: 24/03/2009 at 08:43
