Manx footpath reopens after extensive repairs to wooden furniture

A new bridge, boardwalk and stile have been installed along the public right of way

A section of public footpath in the south of the Isle of Man has reopened following "extensive work", the infrastructure department has said.

The route in Malew, which links Grenaby Road to other footpaths near Upper Billown, was closed while wooden structures were replaced.

They included a rotten footbridge and stile "which had fallen into disrepair", the department said.

A new boardwalk across a ditch between fields was also installed.

An old wooden bridge had rotted and needed to be replaced

A spokesman for the Department of Infrastructure said the previous low set bridge had fallen into a "poor state" as surrounding foliage had created a "wet environment which accelerated the decomposition of the wood".

The new wider bridge had been elevated so it could dry out more easily in the sun and wind, and should therefore "have a service life far exceeding that of the previous bridge", he said.

New wooden signs have been installed as part of the works

New wooden signs were also erected on the footpath during the project.

The department spokesman said the wooden nature of the signage would last longer and was better for the countryside than the existing plastic sign, which were "starting to fracture and fail across the network of public footpaths".

The new materials would gradually be used to replace signage across the island, where either the existing signs had fallen into disrepair or where the public rights of way team was carrying out more substantial works, he added.

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