Councillors reject calls to remove 200-year-old cobbles

By Matthew Gooding Thursday, March 14, 2013
1:37 PM

COUNCILLORS have agreed to keep 200-year-old cobbles in a Royston lane, but will monitor the situation in case the surface presents a danger to users.

Residents have been lobbying councillors to remove the cobbles in George Lane, Royston, because they say they present a safety risk to pedestrians using the lane to access the adjoining High Street. Others believe the lane is part of the town’s heritage and should be maintained.

Last month Royston Town Council opted to take no action, agreeing that the area should be monitored for 12 months to see if any accidents occur. Members of North Herts District Council’s Royston area committee backed the decision at their meeting on Thursday.

Cllr Tony Hunter said: “This is an exceptionally difficult situation because, whatever we choose, it won’t solve the problem as far as one of the lobbies is concerned.”

Members of the committee said they had spoken to elderly people in the town who were against the lane being resurfaced.

Cllr Jean Green said: “I visit an old age pensioners’ group and they are all in favour of keeping them. There are other routes to the High Street and you don’t have to use the cobbles if you don’t want to.”

Chairman of the area committee, Cllr Fiona Hill, said: “We will monitor this situation and won’t just park it and ignore it.”

As reported in the Crow, campaigner Terry Hutt has collected a petition with 1,000 signatures urging the council to remove the cobbles and replace them with a more even surface.