Remember The Pump and Tap and the Bowstring Bridge.
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Common Interest - Current Events
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This group is a memorial, tribute and forum for the Bowstring Bridge and our beloved Pump and Tap pub.

Let it serve as a resource to help prevent such acts of civic fascism in future, and let us raise the money we need to save threatened buildings, as there is no legislation to protect them in Leicester that cannot be paid off or persuaded to go along with DMU or the Council's wishes, no matter how many of us say no. I wish we lived in a more civilized world where we didn't just have the... (read more)
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Remember The Pump and Tap and the Bowstring Bridge.

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Remember The Pump and Tap and the Bowstring Bridge.
Category:
Common Interest - Current Events
Description:
This group is a memorial, tribute and forum for the Bowstring Bridge and our beloved Pump and Tap pub.

Let it serve as a resource to help prevent such acts of civic fascism in future, and let us raise the money we need to save threatened buildings, as there is no legislation to protect them in Leicester that cannot be paid off or persuaded to go along with DMU or the Council's wishes, no matter how many of us say no. I wish we lived in a more civilized world where we didn't just have the... (read more)
Privacy Type:
Open: All content is public.

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Lee Rides Across Bridge 2009:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XZ0wxtWekA



21/10/2008 Over a thousand Leicester residents vote in an online poll in the Leicester Mercury: over 98% want the bridge listed, retained and restored!!

14/10/08 VOTE NOW TO HAVE BRIDGE LISTED! IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT!

Hello all.

Further to my letter, the Mercury are running a week long online Poll to assess public feeling for saving the bridge and having it listed by English Heritage. Please vote YES where it says 'Should the Bowstring Bridge be listed?' as soon as you can:

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Heritage-hope-bridge/article-397311-detail/article.html

Tell your friends and family to do the same, the more votes the better : )

Pretty decent article on page 8.

Regards,

Lee.



08 October 2008 ...THE FIRST COURT HEARING, IT's NOT THE END YET, DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE, DON'T GIVE UP SUPPORT!
Yes, the Council are seemingly indifferent to public opinion, and quite frankly I am disappointed that the Leicester Mercury's article says the situation is worse than it is and not well informed. All is not yet lost, this grants only the stopping of the footpath across the bridge, not the demolition. It was whether the footpathe was 'necessary' or not. If we really do care, we will try further to get the bridge listed, and force the clearly inconsiderate and totally undemocratic council to change. How can such a weight of public opinion simply be dismissed? How can a judge ('heavy heart' or not, and quite possibly heavy pockets) be so clearly ignorant of Justice. What is necessity if not thousands of people wanting something? The eiffel tower isn't 'necessary', but what is a city without it's landmarks? WE HAVE NO DEMOCRACY, NO REAL POWER, WE MUST RESIST!!!!

Letter To Mercury 11/!0/2008:

Hello. Lee Mullen here, Chairman of the Facebook campaign to save the Bowstring bridge. The court hearing decision on Thursday 09/10/2008 was merely to decide whether the the footpath could legally be closed permanently along with the council's wishes. This does not mean the public's wishes will not succeed in keeping the bridge, or that our wishes are not the ones that should be upheld and defended above concerns that are not in the public interest - this is supposed to be a democratic nation! The Leicester Mercury has a generally good record of trying to best serve its public with accurate information that is of concern to them. The article 'Landmark Bridge Set for Demolition' unfairly gives the impression all is lost for the bridge, and it is not. The bridge will be further applied for listing; the societies opposed will further raise the profile of the huge demand for restoring the bridge. The public's opinion has to count, and the support in favour of keeping the bridge is over 10,000, counting the Facebook campaign, the Civic Society's signings, the signings for keeping the path open and the 10 downing street petition. There is no fat lady singing yet. The article should have explained the court decision was simply about permanently closing the footpath, which was granted, and then explained what the next stage intentions were for those trying to save it, and those trying to destroy it. And how many in number each group are. The article states the bridge as unsafe when this is only the opinion of one of their own witnesses, chosen to defend their own interests. If Mercury journalists had stayed in court, you will have heard the excellent rebuffal by John Husain, that the council themselves still drive a heavy van over the Bowstring Bridge every 2 weeks to keep it free of rubbish, and he has photographs to prove it. The council squirmed at this in court as it totally contradicts everything they CLAIM about the safety of the structure. But I repeat, the hearing was ONLY to decide whether the route across the bridge was 'necessary' or not. You will have also heard heartfelt and excellent objections to the Council's wishes. The Leicester Mercury could help no end by at least presenting balanced journalism and the right facts, it is hard enough to fight powers that clearly have financial interests in the Bridge's demolition as it is. This should be your chance to rally the people of Leicester and give them a voice to keep something that so defines part of our City. People rarely get so fired up, and this is not a lost cause yet. In the interests of true democracy, I suggest a week long phone or text poll in the Mercury to gauge public opinion for and against restoring the bridge. A simple, fair, 'Would you like to see the Bowstring bridge restored or not? , text or phone......' : Insert Number.....People respond very well to being able to have their say. I urge you to do this in the interests of fairness, and acting as a forum for opinion about the bridge, - in accordance with the good ethics of a good Local newspaper. Landmarks give a City their identity, take them away, and you take away the soul. The bridge's fate should not be a question of mere necessity according to what a few council members think. Indeed it could be argued that the Eiffel Tower or Leicester 's Guildhall are not 'necessary', but the idea of destroying them is ridiculous because they are much wanted, and much appreciated. Philosophically speaking, existence is not necessary, it just is. Desires, hopes, wants and the things that make people happy or content - improving the quality of life - are values that should affect our decisions and those of our Council especially. And if a council is acting substantially against the public interest, than it is appalling and must be exposed as wrong, undemocratic and unsustainable as policy and undeserving of the right to be council. Most sincerely, Lee Mullen.





OUR OBJECTION LETTER:

Our Objection to the stopping up order for the footpath across the Bowstring Bridge.


We object to the closing of the footpath across the viaduct and the bowstring bridge because it is a vital and impressive pedestrian and cycle route into and out of the west end of Leicester from the south. Its presence means cycle and foot traffic does not have to be in potentially dangerous conflict with the road traffic on Dun’s lane. This traffic has unnecessarily been crossing paths ever since the council ‘temporarily’ closed the route across the bridge more than seven years ago.

The recent demolition of the Upperton road bridge means Great Central Way traffic is now in conflict with road traffic, adding congestion and danger to both where there was none before. This can be avoided at Dun’s Lane by retaining the foot/cycle path over the bridge.

Retaining the highway is in line with the council’s current plans to improve cycle routes and pedestrian access to and from the city. The route could promote access to Leicester’s beautiful countryside for inner city residents, DMU students and tourists alike. The route means easy access for users to the entire southerly stretch of the GCW, which joins the canal towpath easily behind Blaby to allow access as far as beauty spots such as Foxton Locks and beyond. We believe the route has value in itself, and that we have a right to make use of it as a locally important heritage structure.

We also believe that if this highway is permanently stopped up, the council will take their chance to demolish the entire structure. We believe this is the real reason for the application for the stopping up order. Loss of the right of way and accompanying structure would be a huge loss for both the west end and the city as a whole – it is a beautiful structure has been neglected by the council. Despite its need of restoration, it is still enormously loved by residents past and present, and is considered structurally sound by mwany engineers outside of the interests of the council.

Although the majority of our objecting group are Leicestershire residents, there are members from all over the country and beyond – as far apart as Brussels and Melbourne.

This route is pointlessly neglected – so much more could be made of it, and if it were open again it could be promoted to residents, tourists and students. It is such a well-loved structure that retaining the right of way and re-opening it could mean benefits to the local economy, and would help the city retain its impressive architecture whilst fuelling interest in our industrial heritage.

For example, cyclists travelling to Foxton from the Bowstring Bridge would be using for commuting and leisure, routes originally used for industry: the railways and the canals. They would see the impressive cross-city viaduct, the elegant and historically important bridge itself, miles of track bed taking them quickly into the countryside, canal locks and an inclined plain at Foxton,. And most importantly how these features connected the rural landscape with the industry of the city. Structures like these improve Leicester’s image and desirability as a place to live, visit or work in.

This route could be promoted as an Industrial Heritage nature trail, with a cycle hire/repair shop under one of the disused arches near the pump and tap. This would encourage improvements in health and environmental awareness, and information plaques could line the route educating users about local wildlife and local history.

The Camel Trail (a cyclists nature trail along a disused railway) runs from Padstow in North Cornwall for 20 miles, and is a profitable, very popular tourist attraction. By retaining the right of way across the Bowstring Bridge, Leicester could have a similarly splendid attraction, bringing tourism and increasing the area’s desirability and environmentally friendly credentials.

We urge the council to act in favour of the residents of this city and see the opportunity for big environmental and economic improvement by retaining the footpath and accompanying architectural features. We urge them to see the importance of historic architecture in terms of improving life quality, and how the retention of this footpath/public right of way could see a tasteful restoration of the bridge and arches beneath the viaduct, hopefully incorporating a live music venue/café/arts space. In the derelict area in front of these 4 disused arches on the South side of the Bowstring bridge, perhaps a treed piazza/market square could be paved and planted, creating an interesting and appealing and thriving area for students and residents alike. (See ‘Taylor John’s in Coventry and adjacent canal wharf restoration, and how it has rejuvenated interest in the City). Investors have expressed an interest.

This new environmentally considerate showcase and gateway to the west and its tasteful attractions would mean new job opportunities and a fresh reason to promote Leicester as a City to potential new Students and residents, by using our industrial heritage to create interest, a sense of place and desirability to the area.

We strongly wish the stopping up order to be overturned, and this valuable route re-opened for use by the people of Leicester.

Sincerely,
Lee Mullen.







LET'S GET A PUBLIC ENQUIRY

LET'S SAVE THE BRIDGE!"