Are Britain’s footpaths in slow decay?
This article profiles concerns from Kate Ashbrook of the Open Spaces Society and from the Ramblers Association (RA) about the loss of rights of way and erosion of footpaths. The best and now very long lived initiative I have come across as an antidote to the challenges facing local authorities in supporting this agenda is PARROW in Cornwall. My great friend Rob Poole had a role in setting that up. If you want to know more about its contribution to addressing the challenges quoted below drop me an email.
Yet in England and Wales it’s up to county councils or unitary authorities to make sure paths are open and easy for walkers to use.
However, with spending cuts, local authorities have become less well funded and can devote fewer staff to enforcing the rules, Ashbrook says, adding: “It’s no surprise that these problems appear to be mounting and that we’ve now reached this crisis point.”
Until 2007-08, councils had to compile Best Value Performance Indicators, which included an audit of a proportion of the path network in their area. Since these were abolished, some councils have continued to do so, working with the RA and other organisations. Some have not.