Public rights of way are one of the most accessible facilities for enabling sport and recreation activities. They are also unique to our heritage and identity, providing a link to our past and allowing access to our countryside today. However, thousands of routes are poorly maintained and even under threat, due to a self-imposed cut-off date of 2026 for mapping older public rights of way. Without action many of these paths will be lost, with equestrian activities likely to lose the most.

Background

• The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 introduced a cut-off date of 2026 for the recording of pre-1949 public rights of way on the understanding that they would be processed in time.
• Highway authorities do not have the resources to record these paths as many have significant backlogs of applications which will take decades to work through.
• A stakeholder working group found consensus and published ‘Stepping Forward’ in 2010, which made recommendations to speed up the mapping process.

Current status

• The clock is ticking down to the 2026 deadline and as the situation stands there is no hope these paths will be recorded.
• DEFRA has not announced, but is expected to shortly, whether it intends to take forward the recommendations of ‘Stepping Forward’.
• Cutting red tape will free up resources in local highway authorities and allow them manage the network more effectively. For example, authorities should be able to reject poor quality applications without substantive consideration.

Action points

• To ask the Minister for the Natural Environment and Fisheries, Richard Benyon MP, whether the Government intends to implement the recommendations of ‘Stepping Forward’ to speed up the process of recording public rights of way.
• Following DEFRA’s expected announcement, to ask how public access will be protected.

For further information contact Martin Key, mkey@sportandrecreation.org.uk.

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