Is your local path under threat?

A new Ramblers campaign highlighting the nation’s most under-threat footpaths launches today, with 20 worrying situations across the country topping the list. The ‘Dead End’ campaign is designed to focus attention on this vital issue in today’s economic climate, with councils and other government agencies facing cuts that could threaten the nation’s well-loved paths.

Walking is a free leisure activity open to all, yet extreme cuts threaten to bring walkers and the wider public to a standstill, resulting in disrepair and blockages to many valued paths. Many of you will recall the negative impact of Dr Beeching’s cuts to the railway – don’t let this happen to our rights of way network! The Ramblers are campaigning to ensure paths do not disappear through neglect. The Dead End campaign’s objective is to identify which councils are likely to make the most severe cuts to their rights of way work and this is where you can help.

To get started, please visit Ramblers’ dedicated campaign website – and urge others to do so – where you can identify neglected paths and find out what your council’s policies are.

Here are 20 worrying ‘Dead Ends’ across the country – let us know here if there’s another one near you!

(1) Buckinghamshire County Council – may see on-the-ground footpath work reduced by about a quarter.

(2) North Yorkshire County Council –10,000 prioritised rights of way issues are currently outstanding, with no intention of increasing the budget.

(3) Cornwall Council –10 per cent budget cuts planned over the next four years, despite years of total neglect of half the paths under the Council’s notorious ‘bronze, silver, gold’ prioritisation system – for years rated worst in England by the Audit Commission.

(4) Worcestershire County Council – it’ll be 2049 before the backlog of 118 outstanding definitive map applications is cleared, at current rates.

(5) Doncaster Council – faces a £15K budget cut despite the council needing to find over £50k to replace a bridleway bridge destroyed by vandalism. Work deferred from the last financial year will add even more pressure to an already beleaguered budget.

(6) Wiltshire County Council – 100 bridges need replacing, and 184 definitive map changes and 33 path orders are outstanding.

(7) Bath and North East Somerset Council – staffing cuts have resulted in a 20% reduction of staff time.

(8) Surrey County Council – 20% cuts to the rights of way maintenance budget loom over the next 4 years.

(9) Warwickshire County Council – it’ll be 2027 before the backlog of 160 outstanding definitive map applications is cleared, at current rates.

(10) Cambridgeshire County Council – rights of way budgets cut by £20K this year, targeted at staff training, Local Access Forum and definitive map advertising.

(11) Sutton London Borough Council – the Public Rights of Way Improvement Plan is not completed, and there is a shortage of paths maintenance funding. Despite this, there is no separate rights of way budget.

(12) Herefordshire Council – it’ll be 2020 before the backlog of 82 outstanding definitive map applications is cleared, at current rates.

(13) Dorset County Council – have still not signed off their Rights of Way Improvement Plan, yet an impending staffing review could result in a decrease of rights of way work.

(14) Suffolk County Council – backlog of 150 outstanding definitive map claims will take ‘years’ to clear at current rates; despite this a ‘tougher budget than previous years’ is warned for 2011/12.

(15) Gloucestershire County Council – have cut over 50% of Highway Authority staff over the last year (from 8 to less than 4 full time) ; meanwhile the backlog of definitive map applications now stands at 130.

(16) Somerset County Council – backlog of 250 outstanding definitive map applications, with a 6 year wait for new claims.

(17) Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council – cannot /will not find the money to replace a foot-bridge across the river Dearne.

(18) North Somerset Council – limited funding over many years has resulted in there being a large number of outstanding problems. Issues are therefore dealt with according to their seriousness with health and safety being the top priority. Isle of Wight Council – no money will be made available for rights of way repairs from funding secured for roads repairs.

(19) Isle of Wight Council – no money will be made available for rights of way repairs from funding secured for roads repairs.

(20) Hampshire County Council – much good work has been done, but definitive map applications often take ‘years’ to be processed and some problems remain unresolved for a long time or may never be reached.