News reaches us of a great initiative by the council that is being scrapped.
Back at the beginning of the year, a IWC Rights of Way officer wrote to all Parish & Town Council Clerks advising them of a new scheme designed to improve the tourism aspect the Islandwide network of strategic rights of way.
This included the eight long distance trails, cyclepaths, bridleways and footpaths as well as the coastal path.
New range of signage
New signage had been deisgned which featured different icons appropriate to each trail, whether it be farming, historic houses, literature, wildlife etc.
The clerks were told that it was planned to be launched at this year’s Isle of Wight Walking Festival after being designed with the assistance of the Isle of Wight Council publications Manager.
New signage initiative scrapped
However, less than a month later, the Clerks have now been informed by Peter Hayward, Head of Highways & Transport at the IWC that the project has been scrapped.
The current financial pressures are given as the reason for the project being scrapped, despite planning and design work already having been carried out.
Instead, Mr Hayward says that the IWC will focus their resources on maintaining the quality of the Island’s footpath network.
Image: Garry Knight under CC BY 2.0
