Paul Partington, a 78-year-old pensioner from Bishop’s Lydeard near Taunton, has urged Somerset Council to take stronger action on maintaining rural footpaths after a recent fall into what he described as a “sea of mud” near his home.
A longtime volunteer, Mr. Partington has devoted many years to preserving Somerset’s public rights of way, clearing paths, tidying signposts, and collaborating with landowners to keep countryside routes accessible. Despite his struggles with osteoporosis and being unsteady on his feet, he remains active, participating regularly in swimming competitions across the South West.
At a Bridgwater council meeting on July 15, Mr. Partington highlighted ongoing challenges he has faced in accessing local footpaths over the past four months. He expressed frustration that his reports of obstructions have often been ignored or dismissed by council officers.
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He recounted incidents including a difficult crossing of a stile near Bickenhall in February, which left him cold and ill, and his fall into mud on a non-definitive footpath in Cotford St Luke in March. When he reported the latter, he says he was told to stop logging the issue.
Somerset Council explained that while it holds a duty under the Highways Act 1980 to maintain public rights of way shown on the definitive map, its authority is limited when it comes to permissive paths or unconfirmed routes on private land. Landowners can close such paths without notice, even if they serve as diversions around official footpath obstructions.
Mr. Partington criticized the council’s practice of marking reported obstructions as “resolved” simply because a non-definitive route provides a bypass, arguing this undermines the seriousness of the issues and may encourage landowners to block official paths without consequence.
In response, Councillor Richard Wilkins, portfolio holder for highways and transport, acknowledged the importance of Mr. Partington’s volunteer efforts and admitted that improvements were needed within the rights of way service. He assured that reported concerns, especially those prematurely marked as resolved, would be reviewed and corrected as necessary. Mr. Wilkins reaffirmed the council’s commitment to supporting volunteers and working with communities to enhance the county’s footpath network.