Access
This work relates to increasing access to the countryside.
Under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act we have been mapping open access land and helping landowners manage the new public rights. The major new right of access was introduced across England on October 31 2005. We are now looking at how best to increase access to the English coast.
The Discovering Lost Ways project is researching rights of way not currently shown on the definitive map, and submitting those, with enough evidence, to local authorities before the cut-off date of 2026. Our work with local authorities helps them to improve England's 160,000 kilometres of rights of way through rights of way improvement plans (ROWIPs).
The focus of a report launched in August 2006 identifies the psychological factors affecting the behaviour and attitudes of dog walkers. "Understanding the Psychology of Walkers with Dogs: new approaches to better management (3mb pdf)" is available to downlaod.
Natural England's access work includes the following areas:
- Coastal Access - improving access to coastal land in England
- Discovering Lost Ways - research into rights of way not currently shown on the definitive map
- Open Access - allows people to walk freely across mapped areas of mountain, moor, heath, down and registered common land.
- Permissive Access - access given by permission of the landowner rather than as a public right of access.
- Public Rights of Way - improving the network of public rights of way.
