The Bourdillon footpath (Goring FP8) is a useful shortcut and a more pleasant route for pedestrians heading from Cleeve to the railway station or village.

Unfortunately, in its present state the path is virtually unusable by wheelchairs and mobility scooters because of the crumbling tarmac surface.

For example, the gentleman shown in the photo had difficulty turning into the path at the Elvendon Road end, where it is steep next to the site of the old phone box, and also with the uneven surface. He required a push to enable him to get up to the field.

A number of residents of Towse Court (see map) use mobility scooters or mobile walking frames, and are often to be seen making their way along Elvendon Road and Wallingford Road. The pavements on Elvendon Road are not ideal, as they have strong side slopes and are frequently obstructed by vehicles, wheelie bins or overgrown greenery.

The Bourdillon path is also used a lot by parents with baby buggies and young children on scooters making their way to and from Goring Primary School.

The path needs to be resurfaced from Elevendon Road as far as Milldown Road (shown blue on the map), ideally with the gradient eased by removing the foundation of the old telephone box. The section between Elvendon Road and the Bourdillon Field is right on the minimum recommended width for a shared use cycle and pedestrian path. Cycling is currently prohibited, though this is frequently ignored by teenagers and younger cyclists. It is recommended that this prohibition is kept in place, with No Cycling signs located at the points shown on the map. However compliance with this will be much more likely if an attractive alternative is provided for cyclists.