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Safety expert under fire as he defends Otley river decision
7:29pm Tuesday 13th November 2007
Comments (9)A SAFETY expert whose recommendations led to unpopular river fencing being installed in Otley has publicly defended the advice he gave.
Peter Cornall, Head of Leisure Safety for RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents), faced some tough questioning from Leeds City Council's (LCC) Scrutiny Board (Culture and Leisure) on Monday.
The board, investigating the decisions that led to the fencing scheme for Wharfemeadows, Tittybottle and Manor Garth parks being approved, repeatedly asked Mr Cornall to explain why Otley had been singled out'.
He told the meeting: "I've been to hundreds and hundreds of water sites and hand on heart can say I've not been to a public open space with such a big, dangerous weir with complete public access to it, anywhere else in the city.
"The reasons that make Otley different are that you have a public footpath right alongside the river and what is a trip hazard for small children. It's in the middle of a very public park, young people walk there on their way to school and parents take their young children there to feed the ducks.
"I went to the site three times and every time I saw young children, toddlers, more than an arm's reach from their parents. The fencing is designed to stop deliberate or accidental access by children under the age of five.
"There's no way I would recommend fencing off water willy-nilly, it's not a decision we take lightly."
Responding to a question from Councillor Graham Kirkland (Lib Dem, Otley and Yeadon), concerning the park's excellent safety record, he said: "You can't just go back and say there hasn't been a drowning in the last 20 or 30 years, because there could be one tomorrow."
That answer drew derision from Councillor Bernard Atha. He said: "We could be struck by meteorites! tomorrow.
"There's no way we can protect everybody from every possibility of an accident. To do that you destroy the amenity. I think some of the fencing has been sensible but most of it isn't necessary and the statistics show it hasn't been necessary up to now."
Your Say YourWharfedale Observer
William Shears, Bradford says...
7:48pm Thu 15 Nov 07
http://news.bbc.co.u
k/1/hi/wales/4908036
.stm
"Wildswimmer&
quot; Pete Roberts, Runcorn says...
10:05pm Thu 15 Nov 07
Steve Thompson, Expat, Canberra, Australia says...
3:31am Fri 16 Nov 07
Ian, Otley says...
3:18pm Fri 16 Nov 07
William Shears, Bradford says...
9:33am Sun 18 Nov 07
I'm a parent of a young child myself, and am aware that there are many risks to their health and livelihood.
Furthermore, you seem to be in a minority of Otley residents if you feel that the fencing "looks OK". If it were just one or two people who, according to you, need "a life", then there wouldn't be the controversy there is now.
Wildswimmer Pete Roberts, Runcorn, Cheshire says...
10:13am Mon 19 Nov 07
I'm a child of the Sixties and in my day we didn't have any of the fear of water actively promoted by RoSPA (for its own gain) and its buddies in the Environment Agency.
Funny how the safety Nazis overlook the REAL rivers of death - the ones of tarmac. I'm far more concerned about childrens' (and adult) safety having to walk along these without the protection of subsatntial fencing. As for having to cross them........!
Should anyone wish to risk terminal boredom by reading the RoSPA report (although some of it is quite hilarious" you will see they also want to have the Wharfe New Year's Day Dip smthered under a tide of H&S red tape. I'm a keen winter swimmer and there's nothing I'd like better than to be able to turn up and take part....and present a fully extended index finger to both RoSPA and Leeds CC!!!
Mark Thompson, Bristol says...
4:18pm Sun 25 Nov 07
Ian, Otley says...
8:29am Sun 2 Dec 07
Wildswimmer Pete Roberts wrote:hee hee, absolutely amazing over reaction and exaggeration.
Ian, wouldn\'t it be easier just ensure that your two daughters can...errr.....swim? Or has Leeds CC followed the example of many other local authorities and closed down local swimming pools? I\'m a child of the Sixties and in my day we didn\'t have any of the fear of water actively promoted by RoSPA (for its own gain) and its buddies in the Environment Agency. Funny how the safety Nazis overlook the REAL rivers of death - the ones of tarmac. I\'m far more concerned about childrens\' (and adult) safety having to walk along these without the protection of subsatntial fencing. As for having to cross them........! Should anyone wish to risk terminal boredom by reading the RoSPA report (although some of it is quite hilarious\" you will see they also want to have the Wharfe New Year\'s Day Dip smthered under a tide of H&S red tape. I\'m a keen winter swimmer and there\'s nothing I\'d like better than to be able to turn up and take part....and present a fully extended index finger to both RoSPA and Leeds CC!!!
'Safety nazis' ha ha ha, 'child of the 60s' hee hee. I'd love to see you swim in the river wharfe in winter!!!
Could be the next big thing in local sport! Careful clambering over that nice fence though ;-)
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William Shears, Bradford says...
7:46pm Thu 15 Nov 07
He claims that the fencing of the river is necessary because of the possibility of an unprecedented death. But in another article, he says that canoing is still safe despite the death of a nine year old girl (http://news.bbc.co.
uk/1/hi/wales/490803
6.stm) In that article he says "I'm a canoeist". So, he's allowed to take his own risks, but the rest of us should have our enjoyment of life ruined by his bonkers approach to "health and safety". What a hypocrite!