Rights of way could open after Brexit, says Gove
After Brexit Shropshire's farmers could be given more money to provide people with more access to the countryside.
Shropshire's Great Outdoors (SGO) strategy board is to discuss suggestions for greater funding for farmers who make rights of way available, after Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Agriculture said: "Future funding for rights of way will also be discussed as part of the EU exit negotiations."
Following the discussion the SGO strategy board will then make recommendations for a submission to Defra and Natural England.
The organisation says that the funding should be not only for farmers who improve access but also those who introduce new rights of way.
The discussion paper from the board said farmers could be paid for widening paths, regularly mowing headland paths and keeping them clear, and mowing and marking paths across grass leys.
Under the plans payments would also be made for mowing, regrading and rolling green lanes, improving the accessibility of gates and stiles, additional or improved waymarking and signposting, and providing higher rights.
The paper, prepared by, Mark Weston, vice-chairman of the SGO strategy board said the plans could help people learn about the countryside and where food comes from.
It stated: "One element of public benefit could be giving financial support to land owners who provide and or improve public access, whether paths or open access land. Such assets support local economies, and improve people’s health, wellbeing and safety. Public access can help to connect those who use paths and those who own and manage the land, and presents an opportunity for people who access the land to better understand where their food comes from."
The paper also says that bids for funding should be assessed against the demand from people to visit a certain area.
It states: "Any new funding scheme should include financial support for landowners who provide additional access or improvements to existing access.
"Payments should be available for the provision of new access, either along defined paths or as open access to land, or both. It should be well publicised. It should be targeted and selective, with bids from landowners assessed against criteria, such as public demand, achievement of the objectives of the rights of way improvement plan, linking up existing routes, or improvement of safety (for example, enabling walkers and riders to avoid using roads, especially those which are busy, or have limited visibility).
"Encouragement should be given for creating bridleways or restricted byways so that maximum public benefit is provided. The provision of circular off-road routes is of particular benefit for equestrians as they limit the amount of riding on roads. In the case of access land, there could be an increased number of access points, or additional access points provided across boundaries within the access area, and the provision of higher rights access on access land.
"New access could either be permanent or permissive with funding reflecting the choice made."
