Coastal path hits the rocks

A £50 million scheme to create a coastal path that would wind its way around the entire British coastline has been put on hold due to budgetary constraints by the government. Currently only selected areas in Cumbria, East Riding of Yorkshire, Somerset, Kent and Norfolk will be piloting the scheme and on a much smaller scale than originally intended.

Work will however be going ahead on the Weymouth stretch of the coastal path in time for the 2012 Olympics when the area will be hosting the Olympic sailing events.

Natural England, the government-funded agency responsible for the coastal path, has said it would be incorrect to say that the plans have been shelved altogether but any work is unlikely to be carried out for some time to come.

However, the Marine and Coastal Access Act means that the government is committed to completing the project at some point in the future.