People ignoring Keelman's Way landslip danger
People are putting their lives in danger by ignoring the closure of a riverside footpath due to river erosion.
A section of the Keelman's Way near Wylam had to be closed to the public earlier this month after a landslip led to fears that the footpath could collapse into the river.
But the barriers we placed across the footpath to protect the public are being regularly hauled aside and even pushed into the river by people who are determined to use the path despite the dangers of doing so.
The collapsed section of riverbank is privately-owned and we are in urgent communication with the landowners to discuss the restoration of the riverbank and the reopening of the Keelman's Way.
Gradual erosion of the riverbank was first noted in 2016 after winter storms led to changes in the flow of the River Tyne below Wylam Bridge. This erosion of the southern bank has gradually migrated westward and in 2019 the council began regular monitoring of the area most at risk of landslip to ensure the Keelman's Way remained safe for the public to use.
Our ongoing concerns for this section of the Keelman's Way have been shared with the Environment Agency whose permission would be required for any works affecting the River Tyne.
It is currently not known when or how this section of the Keelman's Way will be reopened.
People are putting their lives in danger by ignoring the closure of a riverside footpath due to river erosion.
A section of the Keelman's Way near Wylam had to be closed to the public earlier this month after a landslip led to fears that the footpath could collapse into the river.
But the barriers we placed across the footpath to protect the public are being regularly hauled aside and even pushed into the river by people who are determined to use the path despite the dangers of doing so.
The collapsed section of riverbank is privately-owned and we are in urgent communication with the landowners to discuss the restoration of the riverbank and the reopening of the Keelman's Way.
Gradual erosion of the riverbank was first noted in 2016 after winter storms led to changes in the flow of the River Tyne below Wylam Bridge. This erosion of the southern bank has gradually migrated westward and in 2019 the council began regular monitoring of the area most at risk of landslip to ensure the Keelman's Way remained safe for the public to use.
Our ongoing concerns for this section of the Keelman's Way have been shared with the Environment Agency whose permission would be required for any works affecting the River Tyne.
It is currently not known when or how this section of the Keelman's Way will be reopened.
