In reply to Allan Thomson:
> That climbing wouldn't be there in the first place if it wasn't for the railway? Or do you think cuttings are a natural feature?
Which particular "cuttings" have you climbed on in Cheedale? Have you ever even been to Cheedale?
Your arguments about environmental impact are bollocks, based, as they are, solely on visiual intrusion. a few metal rails along existing path would be minimal but it doesn't tkae account of:
- Noise of trains passing through
- Restricted access (you won't know this but the exisitng track is now part of the main path through Cheedale).
- How do you think the rails are going to get there? A couple of blokes slinging them over their shoulder and walking down? You say all the earthworks are there already, are you sure all the bridges and tunnels are still strong enough to cope? At a minimum it will be years of engineering activity in the dale to put this through.
- Banning of climbing on some crags.
If you have ever tried to use a rural rail service for getting arouund you will know that it is no substitute for a car, the people most likely to use it are the quarries. True this might take some lorries off the road but could also be used to justify expanding the quarry.
Those arguments aside, have you thought whether or not development in National Parks is desirable? Do you think National Parks are a good thing? If so why?
Why are you in favour of this railway being reused?