Enraged dog walkers may be given alternative route into Audley End

DOG walkers angered by the decision to place a clearway order on Audley End Road may be given an alternative route into the park.

District councillors have come up with an idea to build a footbridge from the Swan Meadow car park into the grounds of the park.

Cllr Jim Ketteridge, the leader of Uttlesford District Council, has written to Lord Braybrooke to see whether the proposal may be feasible.

A spokesman at the Audley End Estate Office confirmed the approach had been made this week and that the matter was under consideration.

However, he added that it would be “premature to comment on feasibility before it had been looked at in greater detail”.

Saffron Walden County Councillor Robert Chambers confirmed he and Cllr Ketteridge had looked at the idea of building what he said would be a bridge just over 10-feet long.

He said: “We have been down to Swan Meadow car park to see whether it would be possible to introduce a crossing and after walking round to the park on the other side we thought the idea was a real goer.”

Cllr Chambers added that because many people walked their dogs either late at night or early in the morning, the alternative would allow them to park their cars for free to enter the park.

But he also acknowledged that anybody parking between the hours of 8am and 6pm would have to pay.

“We needed to find a long term solution to the problem which exists with the dog walkers on Audley End Road and have written to Lord Braybrooke to see if this idea would be possible,” Cllr Chambers said.