Agenda item

Gill Millward, Countryside Access Improvement Officer with Derbyshire County Council gave an update on Derbyshire’s Rights of Way Improvement Plan (RoWIP).

Aim1: Existing Rights of Way Network

The report details the revised list of rights of way schemes to be delivered in the LAF’s area in 2024/25, with other works deferred to future years due to a need to target funds for carriageway pothole repairs. £120k was available in 2024/25 for the replacement of 400 missing or damaged roadside signposts on public rights of way across the county, with 2,000 waymark discs already purchased to improve waymarking along those routes reported to be difficult to follow.

Summary of Discussion

There is a contrast between the amount of funding spent on rights of way compared with carriageways.  Trying to improve access to the countryside is difficult when money is diverted into roads, meaning important work isn’t done elsewhere on the network.  DCC do a lot with limited resources.  Long term funding around projects such as the Active Travel Masterplans and Pennine Bridleway National Trail will support work on the rights of way network.  Surfacing is expensive.  It is unclear, at the moment, what further funding might be available from the recent formation of the East Midlands Combined County Authority. 

Aim 2: Definitive Map and Statement

The work to deal with the backlog of Definitive Map Modification Order (DMMO) applications continues. Volunteers working on Project 2026 Derbyshire have now created research records for 404 paths and submitted 221 DMMO applications.  Progress is slow because of the volume of DMMO’s being submitted, and the amount of work involved in processing them.  A Joint LAF Unrecorded Ways Sub-Group has met to discuss how the process could be made easier and how to prioritise the applications.

Aim 3: An Improved Network

a)   The LAF was updated on progress to deliver various sections of the Pennine Bridleway National Trail, White Peak Loop and the Derwent Valley Trail as part of Derbyshire’s Key Cycle Network, catering for walking, wheeling, cycling and horse riding wherever possible.

Summary of Discussion

The Derwent Valley Trail will run from Shardlow in South Derbyshire, through Chatsworth, and on to Hathersage, following the course of the River Derwent.  The vision is that this will create a route that can be used by walkers, cyclists, horse riders and canoeists.

b)   Consultations for the Active Travel Masterplans (ATMs) being developed for the market towns of Belper, Glossop and Ilkeston have been completed, with a positive response overall. The Hope Valley ATM project, which is an area wide plan, is now underway.

Summary of Discussion

The Hope Valley has a population of 9,000 with 7 million car visits per year.  The links between towns, villages and communities is important as highlighted by the recent long term road closure at Bradwell.  Charlotte Gilbert and Martin Bennett attended an on-line stakeholder engagement event for the Hope Valley ATM in September.  The Plan will enhance the opportunities for cyclists, but the bridleway network is fragmented.  Local parishes have attended an in-person event, and it is expected that there will be a wider public consultation in November, which will fall between the two Local Access Forum meetings. 

Action:  A joint response from the LAF on the Hope Valley Active Travel Plan to be submitted as part of the public consultation.

Derbyshire County Council (DCC) is working with The Young Foundation and University of Derby to develop Derbyshire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS).  This involves bringing together diverse perspectives from across Derbyshire and Derby. A series of stakeholder engagement events and workshops have taken place, with public consultation on the draft strategy planned for early 2025, with the aim of publishing the document by Summer 2025.

Aim 4: Improve the promotion, understanding and use of the network

a)    There are events taking place during 2024/25 to promote the Countryside Code, along with a series guides about responsible use of the countryside.

b)    The Walk Derbyshire App was launched on 1 July 2024, followed by several autumn events and free guided walks.

c)    Each year 13,000 copies of the Cycle Derbyshire leaflet/map are distributed to various venues across Derbyshire, as well as being available on the County Council’s website.

Aim 5:  Greater community involvement

The Service Level Agreement with Groundwork Five Counties is continuing in 2024/25. Dedicated groups of volunteers have worked on the rights of way and trails network, with 154 volunteer days delivered in the first six months of the year, estimated to be worth around £30,723. 

Action:  The progress report for delivering Derbyshire’s Rights of Way Improvement Plan was noted