Message from Sue Boulding, Baschurch.
Thousands of footpaths, alleys and bridleways across the UK face being lost forever within a decade under a clause in right-to-roam legislation, campaigners have warned.
From 1 January 2016, walkers, horseriders – and even those taking regular shortcuts to the shops in towns – will have 10 years to apply to save any rights of way that existed before 1949 but do not appear on official maps.
Experts on land access rights say the clock is ticking to save routes that many people take for granted as public highways but that do not appear on official records.
On 1 January 2026, old footpaths and bridleways that are not recorded on the councils' official Definitive Map of Rights of Way may cease to carry public rights," warned Wadey, the co-author of Rights of Way: Restoring the Record, a guide on how to collect evidence and make an application to register a right of way.
He said urban alleyways were of greatest concern, with shortcuts behind houses under threat from homeowners extending their gardens, or fencing off paths that have existed for decades.
This could affect popular shortcuts on many housing developments; even if the homes were built after 1949, the path around which they were constructed could have existed for longer and so be at risk. The same applies to "desire lines", or well-worn informal direct routes.
-- Yoland Brown Brownhill House B&B & Garden, Ruyton XI Towns nr. Shrewsbury SY4 1LR Tel: 01939 261 121 brownhill@eleventowns.co.uk www.eleventowns.co.uk www.eleventowns.org uk www.eleventowns.com ShACC - Shropshire Alternative Car Club - www.ShACC-uk.org MAILING LIST for Ruyton XI Towns area Yo`s blog: http://Yo-emails.blogspot.co.uk
