The Countryside Agency announce details of a £3.8m "Rights of Way Recovery Fund" to support local authorities in re-opening those rights of way which can be used safely.
Countryside Agency Archive

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New Help to Re-Open Footpaths - 25 April 2001

Supporting local authorities in re-opening those rights of way which can be used safely, without risk of spreading foot and mouth disease, is a vital part of getting the countryside back on its feet during the outbreak. The Countryside Agency announced today (Wednesday 25 April) details of a £3.8 million 'Rights of Way Recovery Fund' which will assist authorities in accelerating the re-opening of such rights of way and access land.

Joining Environment Minister Beverly Hughes on a visit to Chelmsford, Jon Tomlinson, a Countryside Agency director, said: "It is essential that those rights of way that are safe to re-open are re-opened. This will help on every level - by attracting visitors back to rural areas, so helping to boost the local economy, and by allowing local people to enjoy their surroundings fully once again.

"Re-opening rights of way safely is a big job and local authorities need help to do it, which is where our Rights of Way Recovery Fund comes into play. The Fund will allow all local authorities who manage rights of way and access land to apply for grants. These can then be used for, for example, freeing up more staff to work on assessing whether particular routes are safe to re-open and improving the information available to the public regarding what rights of way are and aren't open."

All applicants will need to be committed to reopening the countryside where possible and be able to consult with interested landowners. They must also be following MAFF guidance on re-opening rights of way. All local authorities are being invited to apply for a grant and can get further details from their local Countryside Agency office. The Countryside Agency is also publishing information on its website for the general public detailing what rights of way are open - this can be found at www.countryside.gov.uk

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Notes to editors

  • There are 189,000km of rights of way in England.
  • The Rights of Way Recovery Fund will provide 75% of the funding required for a scheme focused on re-opening rights of way and access land. The maximum grant available will be £45,000.
  • The Countryside Agency is responsible for advising government and taking action on issues relating to the social, economic and environmental well being of the English countryside.