WORK has started on a project to resurface a footpath on Walney Island in a bid to allow ‘everyone to freely enjoy this beautiful, natural place’.

Contractors Aggregate Industries is carrying out work to improve the footpath between Biggar Bank and Sandy Gap after members of Furness Locality Board for Westmorland and Furness Council allocated £67,000 from the sustainable travel and transport fund to the scheme.

The new path will connect with £60,000 of improvements carried out in 2022 when a fresh surface was laid along Biggar Bank from the Roundhouse to Thorney Nook.

A Better Biggar Bank Community Group chair Nancy McKinnell said: “The extended path is most welcome. It enables easy access for everyone to freely enjoy this beautiful, natural place at all times and in all weathers.

“We remain alert to the need to care for and to respect Biggar Bank for everyone to enjoy. We hope it will enable pride in our town and we thank everyone for their support.”

Councillor Frank Cassidy (Walney Island, Labour), a founding member of A Better Biggar Bank Community Group, said: “We think this new path will be just as popular as the one rolled out two years ago and when completed it will mean the seafront from Sandy Gap to just short of Thorney Nook will have a good surface for everyone to use.

“I would like to thank our council officers – particularly highways engineer Mark Hammond – for all their work in bringing about this latest improvement and I feel sure the footway will be a hit with Walney residents and visitors to the island.”

Councillor Anita Husband (Walney Island, Labour) added: “The contractors are really getting stuck in and weather permitting the new path should be finished by the end of the week.

“This is another big improvement to the western side of Walney and families, runners, dog-walkers will all feel the benefit of it – especially now with better weather hopefully not far away.”

The Biggar Bank revamp is being carried out by contractors Aggregate Industries and the works follow resurfacing of part of the road into North Scale village which was completed last week.

Councillor Therese Assouad (Walney Island, Labour) said: “We are obliged to council officers for organising the works and to our fellow Furness Locality Board councillors for their support.”