ENVIRONMENT teams are struggling to keep up with maintaining core paths in Dumfries and Galloway due to extreme weather and riverbank erosion.
This has resulted in a sharp increase in complaints/enquiries from residents who have been unable to access walkways due to overgrown vegetation, fallen trees, or other blockages.
Dumfries and Galloway Council has received 131 public access enquiries between January 1 and April 30 this year, and a further 170 the previous six months.
The council’s environment team have admitted they don’t have enough resources to meet the huge demand.
Simon Fieldhouse, the council’s environment manager, and Bryan Scott, the council’s countryside development officer, co-authored a report which will be presented to councillors at Annandale and Eskdale area committee next week.
It reads: “We are a very small team with limited resources covering 1800 km of core paths and the equivalent length of rights of way, and in addition upholding the council’s statutory duty for upholding general access rights as per the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.
“As the access authority, Dumfries and Galloway Council under the Land Reform Act has the power to maintain a core path. It continues to prove challenging to meet public expectations on the core path network and the speed of response expected by the public in relation to infrastructure repairs and improvements to maintain the standard of the network.”
The report explains that extreme weather and riverbank erosion has resulted in several core paths requiring substantial repairs or investigations into potential diversions.
The Annandale Way is suffering bankside erosion in several locations, including at Moffat and Annan.
At Moffat, a popular section of the riverside path north near to Hope Johnstone Park has “suffered a number of breaches in the bankside”. Repair works are being considered but will require input from SEPA and Annan Fishery Board.
At Annan Core Path 429, near Riverside Walk, the riverside revetment wall is showing signs of movement which is resulting in the path surface subsiding.
This section has been described as “beyond the scope of access” and requires structural engineering input, along with a funding package to stabilise the riverside revetment wall.
Other problem spots were identified: Core Path 225 Annan north of A75 near Northfield House – bankside erosion infringing on core path; Core Path 492, Annan – erosion of flood bank at two locations, with the banking now unstable.
The report states that the council has no responsibility to repair the flood bank even though the route of the core path goes along it.
Councillors will discuss path improvement priorities and related issues at next Wednesday’s committee meeting.
