Up to £200,000 will be spent on improving public footpaths and bridleways on the Isle of Wight, it has been announced.
The Isle of Wight Council says the investment marks a major step forward in maintaining, upgrading and sustaining the Island’s important rights of way network.
The plans include provision of a multi-use gravel surface on the rural section of the Red Squirrel Trail between Merstone and Godshill, which suffers from very wet and muddy conditions during the winter. Funding will also be used to complete the multi-use path connecting Niton and Whitwell (Ashknowle Lane), providing a welcome safe route away from traffic for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.
A new bridleway is also planned to connect the Thorness and Whitehouse areas to Mark’s Corner and the northern entrances to Parkhurst Forest. The north of the Island is almost completely devoid of bridleways so this is much-needed and is happening with the cooperation of private landowners, Forestry Commission and a contribution from the Isle of Wight Bridleways Group.
The investment agreed by the council’s Cabinet will also support:
- works to reopen the coastal path at Brighstone Holiday Centre;
- surfacing upgrades at strategic locations including Alum Bay, Binstead-Ryde, Arreton and Brading;
- general network improvements, such as footbridges, gates, steps and signs;
- a new rights of way database including their condition to help inform future works.
Councillor Jonathan Bacon, Cabinet member for environment, says:
“Whether they’re used for sport, relaxation, studying nature or simply getting from A to B, the Island’s rights of way are an important part of our local heritage.
“They are also an incredibly valuable way of enhancing quality of life for our residents and visitors that come to enjoy the beautiful countryside and Biosphere. They are also an important asset in terms of sustainable transport, health and wellbeing, social inclusion and tourism.”
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This is good news, but why should the Council Tax victim have to foot this bill. Start a few patrols and fine the 100s of vile dog owners who allow their pets to poop all over the paths. The scheme would be self-funding within weeks as there is so much poop about. But of course that would require a level of joined-up thinking and robust enforcement. Not something IWC is known for!
Spot on. I’d like to fine them for using my driveway when they have a perfectly good gated public footpath to use at the end of it.
Next time I catch one in the middle of allowing its dog to foul my property il force feed the owner the poop.
Strange isn’t it that these parking enforcement officers can jump out of nowhere to get some bloke nipping into a shop, but enforcement can’t get these shitters who probably never pick up ever.
An absolute disgrace that Brading Downs is littered with crap from the same dog(s) 365 days a year.
Great to hear new cycle tracks but they do need maintenance especially cutting back branches cycling and sharing with walkers race course cycle track is in passable in places due to low tree branches especially with other users, so if you want cyclists to use the tracks rather than the roads maintenance is key regularly please
Very good argument but please don’t hold your breath
I’ll get hammered as anti cyclist but the council need to read up on the law that clearly states no cycling is permissible on a footpath.
It’s bad enough coming across badly behaved cyclists on the road but the amount of times you see the same behaviour on footpaths when they shouldn’t even be there.
I totally agree that cyclists should not use footpaths, the clue is in the name! : ) .However, I can’t see anything in the article that says the Council approve of ‘footpath cycling’ ?
The council do not adequately sign post footpaths and openly encourage cycling on some as the stock reply if you report an issue is that they have unofficially reclassified the route as “multi purpose”
On occasion viewing the definitive map which is (should be) the current legal standing regardless of the land owner it can be seen the council just ignore it if it suits them. Afton Marsh is one footpath that comes to mind, Headon Warren being another.
Alan, councils skirt around this, as they did off Great Preston rd, Ryde, by merely changing the status of a footpath which runs past an industrial estate to that of a ‘multi purpose path’, in other words used by all.
So cyclists, electric bikes the odd illegal motor cycle, dog mess bags, beer cans, yobs with pitbulls, and buggies filled with dusky fatherless children all share the same narrow path.
Not ideal.
My issue is when the council changes a footpath to multi purpose it gives a green light to all these electric cycle owners, some of whom I know have motors which can do 30mph and louts do so
A danger to all others and they know that as the Police barely Police the highways now then no risk of them ever being brought to task
Wait till the yobs all have them. Silent yet lethal to a small dog or child
I think that priority should first be repairing pavements plus the roads. don’t you?
No, because they just get ripped up again in no time at all when some utility has to fart.
They already spend millions on the roads…
Maybe the Council could invest a of bit time and energy in reminding Landowner’s and Farmer types to keep paths and Bridleways clear for walkers. It’s obvious they deliberately allow them to become overgrown and take great delight in ploughing and planting crops over Public Rights Of Way.
Re dogs: When the grass and brambles are running wild people have no incentive to go foraging about for their dog’s business. If the dog is off the lead the owner has no idea where it has crapped, and don’t care. If it ‘turns out’ on a clear and cut path they should at least make the effort and bag it up.
A safe route away from traffic, from RYDE to Wootton would be lovely… so one could then join the one to Newport. then on to Cowes.. instead of HAVING to use any roads, as this new BRANDS HATCH is becoming very dangerous for road users…
Would be wonderful if the Wroxall cycle route could be made to join the Alverstone cycle path with the same surface and width.
I guess it is a big ask, but would help reduce traffic at least in the summer months and be a great benefit to visitors too. Electric cycles are here to stay, so lets try to keep them off the roads as much as possible for car drivers sake as well as the cyclists gain.
Harmony, that would be super if it happened.
I would love that route and if the old St Lawerence tunnel was opened to cyclist how lovely to cycle to the undercliff in safety.
Hope island cowboys…ooops I mean island roads have nothing to do with it
Hopefully replace styles with gates or make styles accessible for larger dogs, so many styles have fencing & large dogs are to heavy to lift over, not a problem for me as my dog is small,
Bet whale chine isn’t going to be on the list! It hasn’t for last 20 odd years