A ROW over public rights of way on the Langness Peninsula has cost Isle of Man taxpayers more than £100,000 – not £49,622 as previously stated.

Former Transport Minister David Anderson MHK, who had responsibility for the inquiry before the government restructure last April, has admitted that he got his original figures wrong.

Today he revealed that £107,702 has been spent so far trying to resolve the rights of way dispute between TV star Jeremy Clarkson and the local pressure group PROWL (Public Rights of Way Langness).

Mr Anderson said he had revisited the figures after Michael MHK David Cannan questioned him on the matter in the House of Keys on March 1.

He had previously stated that the cost of the enquiry was approximately £26,000 and the department's legal costs were £24,000 – bringing the total figure to £49,622. Mr Anderson had said that the Clarkson's legal costs of £20,080 were included within this figure.

The new figure of £107,702 has been broken down as follows:

- £49,622 – on setting up and running the inquiry including the inspectors fees of £23,601. These costs cannot be recovered by the Department of Infrastructure.
 
- £38,000 – on the department's legal costs with respect to the application to the High Court to amend the definitive map. The department can make an application for costs in this matter, but this is a discretionary decision to be made by the Minister.

- £20,080 – costs relating to the petition of doleance brought by Mr and Mrs Clarkson before the inquiry started. The department was awarded costs by the Deemster on September 29, 2010 and it is hoped that 75 percent of these can be recovered.

Mr Anderson, who is the MHK for Glenfaba, has apologised for getting his figures wrong and said it was never his intention to mislead the House of Keys.

He said: "There was no intention on my part to mislead the House, nor I believe was there any intention on the part of the Department of Infrastructure to withhold information from me and ultimately from this House.

"The officers in the Department of Infrastructure are very apologetic for supplying me with unclear information, and would like me to apologise to the House on their behalf.

"I would hope that Members note that as soon as it was brought to my attention I took steps to rectify the situation."

David Anderson is currently the Island’s Minister for Health. The Department of Transport became the Department of Infrastructure in April 2010.

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Photographs by Tessa Hawley