Rights of way improvement plan 2020 to 2030

This Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) replaces Buckinghamshire’s first ROWIP. Since the first ROWIP was published in 2008 there have been significant changes in the county, nationally and in how the council delivers its services. The new ROWIP needs to respond to these changes.

Challenges lie ahead for Buckinghamshire as a county and as a local authority. There have been, and will continue to be, fewer resources to deliver the Rights of Way Service. The evidence that access to nature supports health and wellbeing, quality life and the economy, is clear. New priorities and ways of working need to be adopted to make sure the Rights of Way Service meets the needs of the public.

This ROWIP sets out how this challenge will be met over the next ten years.

Every local highway authority is required by law to produce a ROWIP.1 It is the council’s strategic document setting out its goals and priorities for public rights of way and access. ROWIPs must be reviewed every ten years.

The law and government sets out that the ROWIP must go further than basic legal duties. It must fully consider the needs of the wider public and not just those who already use public rights of way. It must assess how public rights of way meet those needs, now and in the future. It must also assess how rights of way can support exercise and recreation and those who are blind or partially sighted or have mobility problems.

The views of many people were sought to produce this ROWIP. This was carried out through:

• Online public survey - this was carried out in early 2019, receiving 1,489 responses. This gave a high degree of statistical significance to the results and provided good understanding of the views of users
• Parish and town council survey – all were invited to complete a survey early in 2019. Just over half responded. • Landowner survey – the Country Land and Business Association circulated a landowner survey to its members
• Engagement with stakeholders – over 50 stakeholder organisations were asked to comment. These included neighbouring highway authorities, district authorities within Buckinghamshire, user and interest groups and community organisations. Meetings or telephone calls were held with many of these. This included groups who represent people with physical or mobility impairments. The ROWIP was discussed at each of the three meetings of the Local Access Forum between March 2018 and July 2019. An additional special meeting which only discussed the ROWIP was held on 21st May 2019
• Understanding the network and needs – an assessment was carried out to fully understand the present and future needs of the public
• Literature review – strategy and policy documents were reviewed, along with a wide range of research

The ROWIP is in three parts. This report is the main ROWIP document and contains a summary of the main findings and the statement of action. The document is supported by an extensive evidence base, contained in two supporting documents. 2 A delivery plan will be produced which will contain shorter term actions. This will be updated when necessary. This report is set out in six themes, each covering an aspect of rights of way:

1. Mapping the Network Theme
2. Looking after the Network Theme
3. An Evolving Network Theme
4. Knowing Where to Go Theme
5. Access for Everyone Theme
6. Effective Delivery

The 25 Year Environment Plan (2018) sets out the government’s intention to help the natural world regain and retain good health.

Chapter 3, ‘Connecting people with the environment to improve health and wellbeing’, sets out to connect people with the natural environment and increase access.

Public rights of way support many of the aims:

• helping people improve their health and wellbeing by using green spaces
• improving mental health services and promoting health and wellbeing through the natural environment
• encouraging children to be close to nature, in and out of school
• greening towns and cities - through creating more accessible green infrastructure, especially where this is lacking

The ROWIP links to and supports the delivery of several strategies: