Report a problem
We have all set off on a walk and then found that a stile is broken, a footbridge is insecure or a gate on a public footpath has been locked. Most of the time we can find a way round it, so we just a have good grumble and carry on. But, the next time we walk that way, the same problem is still there – because we have all grumbled, and the people who are responsible for fixing things don’t even know there is an issue.
It’s easy to be cynical and assume that there is no point in reporting problems, because constrained budgets and good old fashioned incompetence will mean that nothing happens – but perhaps we should at least try.
So further down this page is a form to report a problem – we will then take that report and pass it on to the council or authority responsible. When we do that, the email we send will NEVER include ANY of your details – it will come from a Bentham Footpath Group address and we will handle any follow up. The form does ask for your name – this is just so that if we need to clarify something before we pass the report on, we know who to ask. Your name will NOT be included in the report we send out. You also have the option to leave an email address. The only thing we will ever use this for is to send you a copy of the report we pass on.
Questions . . .
No problem! As long as the issue you are reporting is in “our patch” – by which we mean the areas we typically walk as a group, then it needs reporting. It would be better to report something early, when just one or two walkers were inconvenienced. That way there is a chance that if we do walk that way as a group, the issue will already have been resolved.
No. If you found a walk on our website and subsequently found an issue when completing that route, then getting the problem resolved helps us and all walkers. So we are happy to get your input.
Yes, but not on this form please. You can use the Contact page for that.
Good question – we can’t guarantee that the bodies we pass the reports to will want, or can afford, take action. But we believe it’s better to try than to sit on the sidelines and moan. So lets find out.
No! None of your personal details will be passed to the council, or park authority that we report the issue to, so they cannot contact you directly. We (Bentham Footpath Group) ask for your name and email just so that we can contact you for clarification, should the issue be unclear, and so that we can send you a copy of the report we make . Leaving an email address is entirely optional.