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Discovering Lost Ways, the £15 million project, set up by the Government six years ago has now been abandoned before it has managed to reopen a single ancient footpath, or bridleway.
Natural England the agency that was charged with turning paths on old maps into modern rights of way admits that the scheme became mired in red tape. An estimated £4.5 million has been spent on it, mainly in Cheshire and Shropshire, its pilot areas.
Discovering Lost Ways was developed after the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which required all “historic” rights of way to be recorded by 2026 or be lost for ever. All they have to show for almost six years of effort are five pending applications with Cheshire County Council and twenty case files sent to Shropshire County Council.
The debate about access to the countryside has pitted landowners and farmers against walkers, horse riders and cyclists since the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act in 1949.
The Act called for a definitive map of countryside rights of way to be drawn up by parish councils. However, many rural councils were dominated by landowners who were more interested in limiting access.
Yet again, its another example of the Government letting the wider public down, and wasting millions of pounds that would have been better spent on maintaining what access we already have.
Adapted from the Times
Date Created: 27/04/2008
Last Updated: 27/04/2008
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