Remove the Pointless Fence on Den Lane, Uppermill, Saddleworth

It is important because this fence is destroying a beautiful place that is a haven for tourists, locals and wildlife.

On May 16th work started building a fence. Nobody was consulted and noone had been informed about it. Immediately the local councillors, residents, the former mayor all objected. Their requests for a site visit were all ignored. The workers refused to give their names, their bosses contacts, where they worked from, which department. They refused any information.

Dozens of residents contacted Network Rail via their helpline along with the councillors - still no site visit and the request for the work to be stopped was ignored.

No less than thirty letters later and still no phone call nor site visit. Rather than speak to the local parish councillors to talk about a fence that would be more in keeping, and trackside where the original fence is, Network Rail sent more men with bigger machines to, as one of their workers said, 'put it up quick'.

One week later and Den Lane as it was was destroyed. And still no call from Mr Carnes office.

Network Rail had already caused a lot of damage to the area, chopping down ancient trees in the middle of the nesting season. Here on Den Lane we have bats, owls, deer, foxes, jays and lots of other wildlife. Trees had been felled directly next to the roosting site of bats.

What Network Rail have done is shocking. They are doing this all over the country and it has to stop. And it stops right here. And we hope others will join us in challenging Network Rail's 'slash and burn' approach.

NOTE IMPORTANT
Network Rail have cited cases of people and children trespassing onto the track to justify their actions. We have checked with the Police and no cases have been reported to the local Police in the last 11 years.

Also Network Rail cite vandalism [their actions are an act of vandalism in fact] as another reason for the fence. However zero cases of vandalism to the track area have ever been reported. The only 'vandalism' that has occurred was the dismantling by locals of the Pointless Fence last week. That however was not vandalism, but an act of direct protest by people who felt they were being ignored. Vandalism is the defacing of property. Dismantling a fence in protest is not vandalism.

Also the fence is entirely pointless - reason?

You can access the line easily on the other side of the track from the bridleway. That is in fact where the fence needs to be built.

Mark Carne CEO Network Rail has wasted £30,000 of public money on...

The Pointless Fence.

And unfortunately for the residents of Uppermill, they have also wrecked Den Lane in the process.