THE FLOWER SCAR PROJECT

PROJECT  This was substantially completed by winter 2006.  It is already fulfilling its aims, which were to rescue our common land from the tippers, reclaim a section of Limers Gate, and encourage natural regeneration, so we can all enjoy the moorland and wildlife habitats will greatly improve.

THIS PROJECT IS GROUNDBREAKING

WHY? - although we aim to rescue our common land from pollution and the tippers, it's not just a simple environmental clean-up

First - it is a trail blazing initiative which will provide invaluable information for future work to prevent illegal tipping on other moors and remote areas of countryside where monitoring and prosecutions are almost impossible to achieve. Illegal tipping is an increasing problem everywhere as Landfill Tax rises year on year.

Second - closing the Flower Scar Road is part of an Amenity Improvement Scheme that has support and financial commitment from the Local Authority.

Third - we will encourage the use of the moor for informal recreation and build understanding and appreciation of common land, its heritage and its wildlife.

More use - less abuse

The problem: illegal tipping had reached crisis proportions

Flower Scar Road is a Bronze Age highway across Todmorden Moor and until the turnpike road was built in the 1780s (now the A681) this was the only road connecting Bacup and Todmorden.

• While preventing access to rubbish dumpers we needed to keep the road open for walkers and ramblers, horse riders and pedal cyclists as well as authorised vehicles.
• We wanted to reclaim and restore the moorland habitat
• Encourage and manage amenity use
• Increased public understanding of moorland issues.

Illegally tipped waste removed

The solution

In 2005, after the erection of barriers by Calderdale to prevent access for vehicles on Flower Scar Road, we began raising funds with the help of Green Business Network (GBN).  To our great joy we were granted £20,000 from WREN/Waste Recycling Group for work to start in summer 2006.  With this generous vote of confidence in the project we were able to remove and dispose of hundreds of tonnes of tipped wastes, and reinstate the pylon road, which is part of Limers Gate bridleway, by reducing the width, landscaping and reseeding. The funding also provided for information boards, one at each end of Flower Scar Road.

West end barrier at Sharneyford

Calderdale Leisure Services and the Community Safety Partnership provide us with funds to place boulders to prevent people driving around the barriers, and to deter illegal tippers at the Sourhall (east) end of Flower Scar Road.  Groundwork continued through 2006, and volunteers helped with reseeding in the autumn of that year. Re-growth of moorland grasses is good. The Limers Gate bridleway is now inaccessible for tippers and looking better than it has for probably 100 years (when the quarrying and mining was starting to industrialise the top of the Bacup Road).

We have not yet solved the problem of tippers just dumping their waste close to, or even in front of, the barrier near Sharneyford. This is a tiny problem when compared with the huge heaps of rubbish the area used to attract, but of course it must be stopped. Cameras have been suggested, with notices warning of CCTV surveillance.

Work to clear rubbish and reseed at the moorland summit of the road has been funded by the Todmorden Town Council. This is almost complete after set-backs from vandalism which hopefully has now subsided.  This area, at a height of 435m., is used by activity clubs and individual model aircraft fliers, and has the most amazing views in good weather.  When funds allow, we plan to put a direction indicator at the summit to give people an idea of the landmarks they can see from there.

Landscaping Limers Gate to make it inaccessible for vehicles

Flower Scar Road remains a Right of Way for walkers, horseriders, and cyclists.