Ashby Town Councillors, Ashby Footpath Group and the local people celebrate the reopening of Footpath O89 after a five-month closure. 

Footpath O89, which connects the new Money Hill carpark to town centre by Ivanhoe School, was shut in June over claims by the landowners footpath users were not safe on the path. 

On Tuesday 9 December, members of the Ashby Footpath Group, along with the Mayor of Ashby, Ashby Town Councillors and local people joined together at the entrance to the footpath to celebrate the reopening. 

Ashby Town and District Councillor for the Money Hill ward, Cllr Murrae Blair-Park posted on Facebook saying: 'Well done to everyone who supported the campaign to get footpath 089 reopened – the collective effort made the difference. 

'The next stage now starts, we need to work with the County to expand the user groups of this right of way by improving the path surface and removing the barriers.' 

Speaking about the matter, local MP Amanda Hack (Labour) said: 'After being contacted by so many local residents about the closure of this footpath, I am delighted to see it reopened for community use. 

'I am very grateful to the Ashby Footpath Group, local councillors, my team and the Open Spaces Society for the countless hours of work they put in to protect this community asset.' 

The reopening of the path has sparked some criticism from local people, with one asking: 'Why have the "further improvements" not been carried out the past five months while it was closed.... If it wasn't deemed safe then, what exactly has changed to make safer now?' 

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This comment is referring to comments made by Leader of Leicestershire County Council, Dan Harrison, who said at an Ashby Town Council meeting that there would be lighting installed and the surface improved, as well as measures in place to make the footpath accessible to wheelchair uses, cyclists, prams and mobility scooters.