Agenda item

·         Presentation on work of the DCC team, and plans for 2023/24

·         Feedback from sub-group meeting

Rob Greatorex, Team Leader of the Public Rights of Way (PRoW) team at Derbyshire County Council, made a presentation to the LAF.

Rob outlined the organisational structure of the Highways Directorate and the make up of the PRoW team that sits within the Highways Maintenance section of Network Planning. DCC’s PRoW team manages and maintains the Public Rights of Way network throughout Derbyshire, ensuring the successful delivery of the Council’s duties, responsibilities and priorities as Highway Authority. It was currently a responsive service to enquiries raised by members of the public, landowners, stakeholders etc

The team looked after 4,497 km of Public Footpaths; 612 km of Public Bridleways; 69.8km of Restricted Byways and 59 km of Byways Open to All Traffic (BOATS). Rob presented some figures to demonstrate the volume of work that the team deals with. Out of the 5,371 enquiries received in 2022/23, 4,670 (87%) are closed, leaving 701 (13%) outstanding.

During 2023/24, surface vegetation clearance will be undertaken on 662 selected paths across the county. Rob also referred to the role of Town and Parish Councils in carrying out maintenance on any footpath or bridleway within the parish or community. Of the 204 Derbyshire parish/town councils, 156 are signed up to the Minor Maintenance scheme and in 2022/23, 61 parish/town councils participated in the scheme.

In 2022/23, the PRoW team improved the surface of 8.1 miles of public rights of way, renewed or installed 1,043 roadside fingerposts, waymarked 202 routes and completed 240 minor rights of way schemes, as well as more major projects funded from the Highways Capital Programme.

The Highways Service is moving towards a mixed economy operational model and all service areas, including PRoW will be looked at.  The new working model to be implemented by March 2024.

Clare Griffin congratulated Rob and DCC’s PRoW team on the volume of work they undertook given that they are a small team. Martin Bennett added that the 5,238 km of rights of way that DCC is responsible for are pretty well looked after. Charlotte Gilbert gave an example of reporting a footpath problem to DCC’s PRoW team through the public reporting system, where the path was closed within 3 hours of it being reported, and that the report was fully followed up. Austin Knott commented that the experience with Staffordshire Highways was not so good compared to DCC, who are very responsive.

Louise wondered if there were ways to try and involve groups, such as recreational users and parish councils, to build up support for RoW work. 

Rob Greatorex advised that a volunteer officer had previously played a role in PRoW work at DCC, but that post had been lost due to cuts. Also the PRoW team had now been moved into the Highways Division from the Countryside Service.  Volunteers don’t tend to be an operational part of  Highways, but volunteer involvement with maintenance work on rights of way should be looked at as it can help stop routes deteriorating.  DCC’s Countryside Service want to set up a volunteer co-ordinator role, and the PRoW team could use volunteers through a Service Level Agreement.  Rob directs people who make enquiries about volunteering to contact town and parish councils.

Mike Rhodes advised the Forum that the PDNPA has volunteers who carry out conservation work, including path maintenance. Jez wondered if the PRoW team could secure time with Countryside Rangers in order to involve volunteers with maintenance work. Martin Bennett acknowledged that volunteer involvement is good, but that it takes resources to manage and co-ordinate.

Charlotte advised on the Peak District LAF Sub-Group which met with DCC Rights of Way on 18 May 2023.  The Sub-Group went through the schemes of work completed by DCC and Louise thanked them for that work.  There was good representation on the sub-group of different users – including cyclists, horse riders and walkers, and the meeting was very useful.  Louise said that one of the issues that did come up in that meeting was about vegetation control. Rob Greatorex advised that clearance work was kept to a minimum and was done for safety reasons and to keep access points clear. Louise asked about drainage work around rights of way and if farmers assisted with this work.  Rob responded that his team works with the Flood Risk team at DCC and that landowners and farmers could be encouraged to do more.  Jez suggested that farmers used paths as drainage in some cases, and this can alter and widen routes.  Rob referred to legislation regarding managing flood risk in relation to rights of way.  Louise wondered if routes have been identified to prioritise issues re flooding and drainage.

Rob will report back later in 2023/early 2024 on the Highways Service review.

Louise mentioned that the Ease of Use survey will be discussed at a future meeting with Andy Farmer (PDNPA).