Public Rights of Way
“A lot has happened since I last wrote in August. We are now well into winter, and it makes a change to have snow on the ground in December after a number of relatively mild winters. The vegetation clearance programme has finished for the year, but will resume again when everything starts growing in about April. Our works team are now concentrating on some of the bigger surfacing jobs, particularly those funded by the Local Transport Plan 2.
Some of the LTP2 projects have already happened, while others will take place over the next few months. Locations include Durham City (Flass Vale, Mill Hill Lane), Urpeth, Stanley, Butterknowle, Barnard Castle, Bishop Auckland and Witton-le-Wear. We are already starting to prepare a list of schemes for 2009/10.
Our annual survey of the condition of our rights of way network has now been completed. Although it is no longer a national performance indicator we, along with most other Highway Authorities, are continuing to carry out the surveys and collect the data. Unfortunately this year’s figure has shown a further decline from 58.3% to just 50.4%; suggesting that only half the path network in County Durham is ‘easy to use’. Whilst it is only a small sample survey and we know that much of the network is fine, it is still a worrying result. There are a number of possible reasons and we will be looking closely at the survey data and trying to ensure that next year’s results are better.
Owen Shaw is now well-established as South-East Area Officer. See the interactive map and contact details to find out which Area Officer looks after your local paths.
The Necklace Park is now fully alive again after about eight months of partial hibernation. A new Necklace Park Manager, Ann Deary, started at the beginning of November, and we should have appointed an assistant before Christmas. One of Ann’s main roles is to manage the Belmont Viaduct project, which has received funding from Sustrans Connect2, and in particular to find sources of match funding for this walking, cycling and horse-riding route between Newton Hall and Belmont. Ann can be contacted on 0191 383 3041 or by email to Durham Necklace Park
For more details about the Belmont Viaduct project visit the Sustrans Connect2 web site, and to find out more about the Necklace Park and the Durham City Vision visit The Durham City Vision web site.
One project that I mentioned back in August was the proposed improvements and enhancements to the path from Palace Green to the Fulling Mill in Durham City. There have been some delays, but thanks to support from County Durham Environmental Trust Ltd (CDENT), Durham Cathedral, Durham University, City of Durham Council and others a scheme to reopen this path with new steps and handrails should begin early in 2009.
The Mineral Valleys Project has now come to an end and after five years of hard work a set of 10 circular and linear walks have been completed. All ten leaflets are now available, both as pdfs on the Countryside Publications web page, and individually or as a pack at Tourist Information centres in the area, or by telephoning our office on 0191 383 3239.
It is now only just over three months until the new Unitary Authority starts on 1 April 2009. Public Rights of Way is a service that, in most respects, is only provided by the current County Council, so hopefully there will be a smooth transition. In the meantime we continue to work on the implementation of our Rights of Way Improvement Plan, by setting an annual action plan with key targets. A lot of progress is already being made, and all the hard work has been recognised with an award to Victoria Lloyd from the Institute of Public Rights of Way and Access Management (IPROW) for her innovative approach to the Rights of Way Improvement Plan and to partnership working. Audrey Christie and Stephen Ferguson were also nominated for awards, highlighting the excellent work carried out by the team. In September 2009 the IPROW annual conference will be held in Durham for the first time, giving us the chance to showcase some of the work we are doing to access professionals from around the UK. For the IPROW website for more information.
Please contact us if you have any questions or comments about any of the work we do. If you want to get involved there are several ways to do so. You could join the Durham Voluntary Countryside Ranger Service or you could apply to join the County Durham Local Access Forum. We are always looking for new members for the Forum, particularly from the landowning community. If you are interested, please contact me for further details.”
Mike Ogden
December 2008
What We Do and How We Work?
Durham County Council is responsible for administering the 3474 Km (2158 miles) long path network of footpaths, bridleways and byways open to all traffic in the County. The authority’s duties with respect to Public Rights of Way can be categorised into two main areas, practical management and legal management of the network.What do You Wish to Know?
Select from the following links.- About Public Rights of Way
- The Definitive Map
- Public Rights of Way Registers including:
- Section 53B Register of 53(5) Definitive Map Modification Orders
- Section 31A Register of 31(6) (Deposits) of the Highways Act 1980
- Reporting Problems on Public Rights of Way
- Rights and Responsibilities on Public Rights of Way
- County Durham Local Access Forum
- Open Access in County Durham
- Rights of Way BVPI (178)
- Rights of Way Improvement Plan
- Where to go - what to do
- Who to contact
- Frequently asked questions
- External Links
- Guidance on stiles and gates
- Parish Paths Partnership (P3)
Practical Management
- Assert and protect the rights of the public to use all Public Rights of Way
- Ensure that Public Rights of Way are not obstructed for example by overgrowing vegetation or other barriers
- Maintain surfaces to a standard appropriate to the use they receive
- Provide and maintain bridges carrying Public Rights of Way, although other parties often have an interest in these and some bridges may be privately maintained.
- Signpost all Public Rights of Way where they leave metalled roads (unless it is agreed with the parish council that this is not necessary).
- In co-operation with the landowner, waymarks routes where the line may be difficult to follow
- Offer grants to landowners or occupiers for approved maintenance of stiles and gates across Public Rights of Way. It is currently the County Council’s policy to offer 25% grants for stiles and gates on footpaths and for bridleways, though higher rates are offered on promoted routes
Legal Management
- Carry out legal changes to the network by statutory order i.e. creations, diversions and closures (temporary & permanent)
- Errors or omissions to the network (Recorded on the Definitive Map) can be corrected by modification orders subject to there being sufficient evidence to support the change.
Unlike some authorities, available resources mean that our 7 area officers deal with all aspects of the Practical and Legal demands of the Public Rights of Way network, ensuring that anyone day is never the same. Work is varied and often demanding, much of the practical works are achieved by working in partnership with and relying upon support from our Ranger Service, Volunteers and various Parish Groups.
