The Isle of Wight Council has been forced to close another section of the coastal path in Bembridge due to land movement.
Last week a section of the Public Footpath BB10 fell away following a landslip near Sandhills Holiday Park at Whitecliff Bay, as reported by Island Echo.
Now, another section of the footpath between Forelands Field road and the junction with footpath BB14 has been closed. This is a result of land movement in the area.
Coastguard Officers from Bembridge Coastguard Rescue Team conducted a visual inspection of the area over the weekend and discovered the movement.
Those walking in the area should use Forelands Field Road, Howgate Road and Public Footpath BB14 to bypass the closed section of footpath.
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That will never be re-opened now. The council use such as an excuse to then permanently close footpaths so as they don’t have the expense of maintaining them.
They are already trying to push cutting the verges onto Bembridge Parish council which will push up the precept for residents.
They did the same to the public toilets, relinquishing responsibility and again pushing the cost onto the Parish council.
Even now the Parish have had to supply the labour and much of the cost of maintaining many of the footpaths in Bembridge, so to close this one, which is still the responsibility of the main council imo is highly likely to stay closed.
As I said on this topic and was slated for it, the main council ‘has’ to fund adult social care, which in some cases is necessary, but too much is spent on people who are already getting disability allowance and then still have paid helpers take these people out and about, when the parents or family SHOULD step in.
Thus there is no money left to fund footpaths that give the Island the visitor appeal.
They don’t come for our growing urban sprawl, and when they do try to walk in the countryside many footpaths are overgrown and an embarrassment.
Get the workshy and able bodied odd to clear them, so as they are not ‘kept’ for nothing.
PS,
I see that woody bay at St Lawerence has had a major cliff fall, with a large section of land dropped down taking some of the garden of the old coast guard cottage with it, so it is now tiered.
Seems the heavy rain is causing the added weight of the land to slide forwards on the blue slipper base it is precariously placed upon.
As more footpaths close, expect more little ‘black bags’ casually thrown in bushes, or smeared piles on the pavements of Bembridge where the idle or aged owner will not/ cannot bend to pick up the rich almost liquid contents of an over-feed pet.
no – just close it permanently. The land will be in the sea soon anyhow – cannot stop the forces of nature, that will dig out the cliffs over time, no matter what people do.
Disagree, I think all footpaths when eroded by inland or sea cliff falls should without landowners permission be allowed to be moved inland unless in private gardens.
Now there is such a fuss doing so, adding to cost and time. IF you are lucky enough to own land which has a footpath across it, then that ‘right of way’ should be maintained.
Any land owner who then disagrees to reinstate a footpath, should have their land made ‘open access’ to allow people to wander at will. That would ensure a tiny ‘strip’ of land would then be ‘readily’ given over.
I wonder if you would say the same thing if you were the land owner?
Nope – are you going to pay the landowner for the forced appropriation of his/her land at the going rate? That would come from taxpayers funds – waste of money.