Our public rights of way are a national asset that are being criminally neglected.

That was the view of one MHK as Tynwald last month debated a select committee report that concluded an annual investment of more than £1.53m is needed to improve the island’s footpath network and eliminate the maintenance backlog.

But Tynwald held back on signing the cheque - and instead unanimously supported an amendment that Treasury should work with departments to identify priorities and potential funding as part of next year’s Budget.

One of the many footpaths badly in need of maintenance is the one leading to remote and beautiful Traie Vane (White Beach) just south of Niarbyl.

Although not officially part of the Raad by Foillan it is suggested in the guidebooks as a scenic alternative route.

But anyone attempting the walk have to negotiate a series of rotten and collapsing boardwalks, narrow and barely passable sections between a tangle of nettles, brambles and gorse and a treacherous descent to the shoreline through a tunnel of untamed vegetation.

The select committee investigation report was prompted by a 2021 Tynwald petition from David Buttery.

He described the public footpath network as an important and well-used asset and a primary driver of tourism but pointed out many sections are poorly maintained, badly signposted and in many places, dangerous and impassable.

The route to Traie Vane is one example but there are many more.

There are currently six footpaths closed for safety reasons, one of which has been shut since 2015.

The select committee report said there are 210 outstanding complaints regarding conditions on the public rights of way network, ranging from minor issues such as a broken sign, to major construction and groundworks to reinstate eroded paths in steep valleys.

It proposed a five-year programme to tackle the backlog, recommending a revenue budget of £831,301 and a minor capital budget of £700,000 be provided annually for maintenance.

In Tynwald, Douglas Central MHK Chris Thomas said: ‘If we really want a better Raad ny Foillan we need to fund it properly.’

He questioned whether it would have been better spending the £400,000 on 20mph signs rather than sorting out the footpaths.

‘That’s a choice we should have made rationally based on the costed and funded options in front of us because I’m pretty sure both of these two projects will be coming from the same budget cost,’ he said.

Kate Lord-Brennan (Glenfaba and Peel) said: ‘Departments are spending resources and time on doing things that are completely pointless when this is exactly the sort of thing that the public would value funds being spent at. Money needs to be spent on the basics.’

Tim Glover (Arbory, Castletown and Malew) said: ‘This is a national asset that we are neglecting - it’s criminal.’

Douglas South MHH Sarah Maltby who took up the petition, tabled the amendment to the report’s recommendations, noting that provision of funding is ‘far from guaranteed’.

She said investing in the island’s public rights of way was an investment in ‘our heritage, health and economy’.