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

Hewlett, which has an office in Leeds, is creating the footbridge which will provide access to 400 new homes being constructed nearby. It was a requirement of planning permission because the 200-year-old road bridge over the canal at Swine Lane does not have a pedestrian footway.

But it means the towpath between road bridges at Granby Lane in Keighley and Morton Lane in Crossflatts will be out of bounds for walkers, runners and cyclists for about nine weeks while the work is carried out.

The closure has sparked protests from regular users.

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

And she 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 Hewlett apologised for the inconvenience, but there was no alternative but to close the towpath between the bridges.

"There is a new footbridge being constructed next to the road bridge in Swine Lane and it is not safe to allow people on the towpath when they are working," she said.

"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 also a problem 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 Hewlett in order to close the towpath because it was not classed as a public footpath. Advance notice had been put up about the closure, she said.

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

No-one is available from Hewlett to comment until next week.

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