A one-and-a-half mile section of the Leeds-Liverpool towpath has been closed as developers work on constructing a new footbridge.

The path between Granby Lane at Keighley and Morton Lane at Crossflatts will be out of bounds for walkers, runners and cyclist for about nine weeks.

It has sparked protest from some regular users who are upset that the closure is over such a long distance and during the Bank Holiday period.

Katherine Watson of Crossflatts said: "There should at have been a gap to get through when they weren't working. They left no space for people to get on over the holiday."

And she questioned the legality of closing the towpath without a legal order and claimed a sign in Morton Lane warning about the closure, which was just a piece of paper, was inadequate.

Lynne Hamilton, British Waterways engineering supervisor, said the company apologised for the inconvenience, but there was no alternative but to close the towpath between the two bridges.

"There is a new footbridge being constructed at Swine Lane and it is not safe to allow people on the towpath when they are working.

"We have asked the developer to leave a gap at Granby Lane and Morton Lane so people can get through, but with a sign warning them they can't get beyond Swine Lane."

She said there was a problem also because people accessed the canal at various points along the towpath and missed the closure warning signs.

She stressed that there was no legal requirement on behalf of the company in order to close the towpath because it was not classed as a public footpath. Advanced notice had been put up about the closure.

"We do like to give as much notice as possible that we intend to close a towpath and to give diversions, " she added.

*The new footbridge will provide access to the 400 new homes which are to be constructed nearby. The bridge was a requirement of the planning permission because the 200 year-old road bridge over the canal does not have a pedestrian footway.

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