Walkers will be able to enjoy treks along historic paths for many more years after the Government scrapped a looming deadline for them to be registered.
The move has been welcomed by rambling enthusiasts but has sparked another row with landowners following Labour’s inheritance tax raid on farms and drive to build on the green belt.
In an announcement timed to coincide with the traditional Boxing Day walk, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it would no longer require thousands of miles of forgotten footpaths to be registered within a few years or be lost forever.
It is scrapping plans devised by the Tories under which 40,000 miles of paths – some of them used by walkers, cyclists and horse-riders for centuries – had to be added to England’s definitive map by 2031 in order to gain protected status as rights of way.
Defra said that local authorities were struggling to register the unrecorded footways before the cut-off date, which meant walkers could have lost access to them within a decade.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed said yesterday: ‘If you’re planning to walk off some of that festive feasting here’s some good news. Labour saves 40,000 miles of footpaths and historic rights of way from Tory plans to scrap them.’
Minister for Access Baroness Hayman said: ‘These well-trodden routes, many of which have been in place for hundreds of years, are a part of our shared heritage and it is critical that we bring forward these measures to protect their long-term future.’
Ross Maloney, chief executive of The Ramblers, said: ‘The Government’s decision to end the threat to thousands of miles of historic rights of way in England is a fantastic step forward in making sure everyone can enjoy the benefits of walking in nature.
Walkers will be able to enjoy treks along historic paths for many more years after the Government scrapped a looming deadline. File image
In an announcement timed to coincide with the traditional Boxing Day walk, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it would no longer require thousands of miles of forgotten footpaths to be registered
‘Not only are these paths an integral part of our shared heritage, but they will also have a critical role to play in the future by helping people live healthier, happier lives.’
But deputy president of the Country Land and Business Association Gavin Lane described it as the ‘latest attack’ on the countryside and farmers.
‘Campaigners have had decades to record rights of way, and the decision to scrap the 2031 cut-off date has been made without engaging with those who will be affected, inflicting significant uncertainty on farmers and land managers,’ he said.
‘The vast majority of landowners are keen to promote responsible access, and work in collaboration with Defra and campaigning groups to ensure people can continue to experience the benefits of the countryside in decades to come.’
And deputy president of the National Farmers’ Union David Exwood warned: ‘This current plan simply perpetuates an outdated focus on routes that haven’t been used for centuries.
‘Instead, the focus should be on a network fit for the future that encourages responsible use, respects working farmland, and promotes safety in accordance with the Countryside Code.’