FEARS that a “tremendous” Peeblesshire footpath could disappear have been voiced following flooding this week.

Concerns were raised earlier this year about the future of the Innerleithen to Walkerburn multi-use route after heavy rain ate away at the adjacent riverbank.

Scottish Borders Council (SBC) implemented sandbags to help reduce further erosion until a more permanent solution could be brought about.

Works at the site are now “progressing”, according to the local authority, which has seen the temporary bags removed.

But the chairman of Innerleithen Community Trust, Ross McGinn, questioned SBC’s decision to start the project in September.

“They [SBC] put sandbags in months ago and then nothing has happened,” said Mr McGinn, who has been monitoring the situation since January.

“Last week they came and started the job and today [Wednesday, September 20] they are having to come off site because the water level is so high.

“It’s just incompetence at the highest level. The water level has been so low for about three months and they could have had it done long before now but they wait until winter-time.”

Mr McGinn said that the removal of the sandbags had left the riverbank vulnerable to further erosion, the level of which he described as “beyond words”.

“It is so annoying that such lack of action could result in that path disappearing and it’s a tremendous local asset,” he added.

The path, which is just under two miles long, cost SBC, Transport Scotland, and SUSTRANS £500,000 to build.

An SBC spokesperson said the works – which are due to be completed by the end of October – could not be started earlier as funding needed to be approved.

They said: “The permanent works at this location could not commence until the full design process was completed and the necessary funding approved through the Council’s Nature Restoration Fund allocation from NatureScot.

“The works are progressing as anticipated with completion due by the end of October.”

Flooding of the Tweed in January raised alarm bells as water covered the path and caused further erosion to the riverbank.

At the time Tweeddale East councillor Marshall Douglas said: “The erosion of the bank and loss of about 100 metres of ground is of grave concern to the communities of Innerleithen and Walkerburn, as it potentially undermines the security of the multi-use path which currently provides a high value resource to the area.”

Following the flooding in January, SBC said that it had consulted a specialist in November 2022 and was looking to “develop options for green bank protection measures”.

Correction: Mr McGinn is the chairman of Innerleithen Community Trust, we had previously referred to him as the chairman of Innerleithen and District Community Council. We have corrected this and apologise for the error.