Tynwald backs costing and prioritising long distance footpath work

The debate on footpath maintenance stemmed from a Tynwald Committee that looked at the Active Travel strategy

The cost of maintaining and improving long distance footpaths, bridleways and green lanes is set to be investigated.

Last month a bid for a review of "investment options" for rights of ways instead of reintroducing heritage trail bridges split Tynwald members.

A committee looking at Active Travel had previously called for the bridges to be reconsidered.

But a further amendment saw members support a broader review of the costs.

The Department of Infrastructure (DOI) had previously calculated that reinstating seven bridges on the heritage trail between Peel and Kirk Michael would cost £1.3m.

It had later been stated that the money for that project was not currently available.

Proposals to reinstate the heritage trail bridges are currently on hold

Putting forward the new amendment, Diane Kelsey MLC said other than that costing it "was not possible to give a meaningful cost indication" of any future projects at present.

Ms Kelsey said the new amendment was "not tabled to force the DOI to build anything, at any cost, or by any specific time", but was to "simply note the stated intent of the minister" in Tynwald previously.

The DOI and Department for Enterprise have now been tasked with costing and prioritising the maintenance and investment options for the island's long distance footpaths, bridleways and green lanes.

The departments must also "consider the economic benefit from the island's walking, wheeling, and cycling offering and to try and identify an alternative funding source".

Welcoming the amendment, Infrastructure Minister Chris Thomas said it was "great" because it combined "everything that was on the table".

It would also help the government "work together" in terms of ideas and funding sources "to actually make the most of our former railway routes, now called our heritage trail", while recognising the current financial constraints, he added.

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