Marilyn Meeks: Access to great outdoors threatened by cuts

Although they are the cheapest and most environmentally-friendly part of the transport network, rights of way are historically an under-valued local authority responsibility, already pared to the bone through chronic under-funding and suffering long-term repair backlogs from a lack of resources.

In Yorkshire, the impact of cuts could drastically affect the local economy. As the "jewel" of counties for its wonderful landscape and varied architecture, it has over 10,000 miles of footpaths, bridleways and byways.

Many of you will remember that last decade, in just a year, closure of rights of way for foot-and-mouth disease resulted in hundreds of miles of footpaths and bridleways being neglected and obstructed. Bereft of walkers, riders, tourists and day-visitors, rural tourism and the rural economy lost an estimated 5bn.

This was particularly acute in Yorkshire, where the income from businesses supported by tourism and visitors dwarfs that from agriculture. Only through closure of paths was the vital role of rights of way in tourism apparent. A very high percentage of visitors using B&Bs, holiday lets, pubs, eateries and shops are also walking, cycling or riding. Without the public paths, those visitors go elsewhere.

It isn't only the visitors – many people choose to live in Yorkshire because of the easy access to its wonderful countryside; so richly varied from coast to moors, dales and vales. The path network supports the fitness and health of local people as well as providing sustainable transport opportunities to work, school and shops.

Unfortunately, memories are short and the coalition seems disappointingly oblivious to the value of access, displayed in the current draft White Paper, which makes little reference to countryside access. It also fails to make the crucial links between health and the rural economy.

I am dismayed by this exclusion of access and the disconnection with the universal health benefits of easily available access, with rural businesses and jobs. It is reflected by lack of appreciation in most highway authorities of the great value of public paths to communities – they talk of rights-of-way management being "picked up" by parks teams and other departments, oblivious to the complexities and importance of the work that require specialists to deliver an efficient service.

The paths remain open because of the work of highly-committed specialists employed by local authorities as rights-of-way officers. It's a difficult job – statutes and enforcement are never popular – and involves some of the most complex law and regulations in the country. To protect your public paths, officers negotiate a perpetual battleground between the demands of users, landowners and politicians.

The work requires knowledge of sometimes arcane law; the ability to be pragmatic in its application; an appreciation of the landscape in meeting conservation and land use interests as well as providing suitable structures, drainage and surfacing. Working with developers and land managers to keep paths open avoids the long and costly court battles which otherwise arise, often through ignorance of what is required. All that expertise could be lost in the scramble to cut public sector costs.

Without the continual hands-on work, paths quickly become lost to neglect, gaps appear in the network, and the users disappear: whether locals turning to increase car use instead of walking, or visitors bringing cash to your businesses.

It isn't only the knowledge of rights-of- way officers that is so valuable – they are dedicated people with a passion about the public right of access.

IPROW's executive officer, Geri Coop, used to be an access officer in Yorkshire and stepped well outside her job to create over 40 miles of new public bridleways because they represent "best value" in providing access for riders and cyclists as well as walkers. Also being stile-free, they benefit people with mobility problems.

One example is new routes from the Hole of Horcum, creating crucial links across the Moors, which have served to increase rural business by attracting riders and cyclists using them to reach their next B&B.

A vision she shares with other officers is to ensure every community has a local route, because being able to "walk from the doorstep" has great potential in battling obesity and increasing health and well-being, along with safe routes for cycling to school or the shop.

"Wanna-be-fit" people often cite traffic as the main reason for driving short utility journeys rather than walking or cycling. With soaring instances of diabetes here, how can we afford to disregard the value of public paths, available free to all for exercise?

Economies do have to be made if the coalition Government is to bring financial stability back to the country, but cuts at any price do not guarantee that stability. If all authorities make 25 per cent cuts, the effect of those cuts will be felt far more in some rights-of-way teams than in other areas of public sector and some could lose as much as 50 per cent.

The impact on public paths and their users will be much more extensive than initial impressions. Decision-makers need to think hard about the consequences of losing one of Yorkshire's greatest assets.

Marilyn Meeks is president of the Institute of Public Rights of Way and Access Management.