Public rights of way blocked in 32,000 places

Many councils blame a lack of funding for their inability to maintain features such as kissing gates or stiles – Craig Joiner/Loop Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Thousands of public footpaths are being fenced off or blocked by overgrowth, data suggest.

Walkers are being stopped from accessing public rights of way in nearly 32,000 places across England and Wales, according to information requests to councils by the BBC.

Access issues appear to have increased, with about 4,000 more reported by councils in 2023 than the previous year.

Councils have a statutory right to ensure access to the 140,000 miles of footpaths, bridleways and byways that make up the public rights of way.

But many blame a lack of funding for their inability to keep footpaths clear of overgrown brambles, rubbish or other blockages, or to maintain features such as kissing gates or stiles.

Campaigners have called for a right to roam act in England – Duncan_Andison/iStockphoto

The BBC asked 118 local councils outside of London and national park authorities to report the number of blockages and obstructions that had been recorded at the end of 2022 and on 31 Oct 2023.

It received data from 73 authorities, who reported 31,816 obstructions including overgrown vegetation and fenced-off paths on 31 Oct. This was an increase from 27,696 at the end of 2022.

‘Vastly more obstructions than figures show’

Jack Cornish, head of paths for the Ramblers, the walking charity, told the BBC they were “shocked to learn quite how many of these issues on paths remain unresolved”.

“In fact, we suspect there are vastly more blockages and obstructions than the figures show, because our own research shows that the public don’t know how, or where, to report issues they experience on paths,” he said.

Darren Rodwell, transport spokesman for the Local Government Association, told the BBC that councils needed “long-term consistent funding” to plan for maintenance issues on footpaths.

A Ramblers spokesman said that ‘the public don’t know how, or where, to report issues they experience on paths’ – Darren O’Brien/Guzelian

The data come amid a debate on access to the countryside, and calls to increase the so-called right to roam, which requires landowners to provide access via footpaths.

Campaigners have called for a right to roam act in England, arguing that the nation provides less access to the countryside than some of its neighbours. The public can access 8 per cent of England under the Countryside & Rights of Way (CRoW) Act.

The head of a leading rural organisation has said farmers should be paid to maintain paths and expand access to the countryside as part of the overhaul of farming subsidies post-Brexit.

Victoria Vyvyan said promoting responsible access to the countryside is one of her main priorities as the new president of the Country Land and Business Association.

‘Let’s have responsible access’ 

Speaking before the BBC investigation, Mrs Vyvyan suggested that it was more important to improve what access already existed than to create more public footpaths.

“Let’s have responsible access. And let’s make plenty of it,” she said. She added that the answer was “properly maintained, properly managed paths”, which are funded by the post-Brexit farming subsidy system.

“Let’s put away the ideology about property rights,” said Ms Vyvyan. “Let’s actually manage what we’ve got to make an incredible access system.”

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