UK’s secret paths ‘at risk’
More than half the time allowed for claims to add paths to the country’s definitive map of rights of way has passed and many historic rights of way remain unprotected, a charity is warning.
The Open Spaces Society is urging that until there is a proper and efficient system to ensuring claims are processed swiftly, the Government should extend the deadline for claims beyond 2026.
The charity helped to draw up proposals for streamlining the process, which warned the process was too complicated for local authorities.
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Hide AdKate Ashbrook, the society’s general secretary, said: “There are countless paths which, 60 years on, have still not been added to the definitive maps of public paths. Since they are unmapped, these secret paths may be at severe risk.”