Is this Britain's most pointless footpath? Locals brand 40cm pavement at new development 'ridiculous'

A pavement measuring just 40cm wide has been branded ‘Britain’s most pointless footpath’.

Locals have slammed developers behind the path, built by Barratt Homes, comparing it to “one of things police make you walk along to check whether you’re drunk”.

The footway at the development in Felixstowe, Suffolk, is just wide enough to fit both feet on and one resident said it means there is “actually no safe way to leave your home unless you drive”.

Elvita Branch, from Felixstowe, Suffolk said: “This is Britain’s most pointless pathway.

“The pathway is just for one person to walk on, no way two people could walk on it or either a mother pushing her pram.”

The tracks, built by Barratt Homes, have been positioned on either side of a road in the Walton Gate development.

Developers said they aren’t designed to be walkways but to house utility services along their lengths.

But residents have hit out at the ‘pointless’ design on social media.

A picture of the path was posted on the FelixstoweNews Facebook page with the hashtag #pathgate and the question: “When is a path not a path?”

Tessa Aston wrote: “Ridiculous! Really pedestrian friendly- maybe it’s enforced tightrope walking training!?”

Angela Ashford also wrote: “That’s not a path at all, it’s a wide curb….. dangerous for any users….once the hedge has grown it will be non existent…quite pathetic .”

And Lynn Morrissey described it as “Ridiculous, no brains.”

Barratt Homes said most of the roads on the 190-property Walton Gate development did have footpaths for pedestrian use.

A spokesperson for Barratt Homes Eastern Counties said: “Service margins are installed for Shared Surface Roads, where footpaths are not required in line with the Suffolk Design Guide for Residential Areas.

“We have designed and constructed the roads at Walton Gate in line with Suffolk Highways Estate Road Specifications and they have been vetted and approved by Suffolk Highways, who will be adopting the road network once the development is complete.”