The chairman of the Ramblers’ Association, Kate Ashbrook, has called on Shropshire County Council to take a tougher line against landowners and occupiers who plough, crop and block public paths. Kate was speaking at the event to mark the relaunch of the Shropshire Way long-distance path, at the Discovery Centre in Craven Arms on Saturday [26 July].
Says Kate: ‘Shropshire, with its beautiful and varied countryside, depends on walkers to support its economy. Public paths are the arteries of the countryside, enabling people to enjoy quiet recreation, which benefits not only the rural economy but also people’s physical and mental health. Money spent on public paths means less money needs to be spent on community care—prevention is far better than cure.
‘But too many paths in Shropshire are still illegally cropped and blocked. Even the premier route, the Shropshire Way, has problems,* and there are many forgotten paths in the county which, year after year, are ploughed and cropped. Not only is this illegally, but it can be offputting to walkers, on whose income the county depends.
‘Rather than having to deal with the same problems each year, the county council should threaten legal action against persistent offenders, those landowners and occupiers who try to get away with abusing the paths. By making an example of them, it would encourage others to obey the law. It is, after all, the county council’s statutory duty to ensure that all the paths are in good order. Legal action would send a clear message to all land managers that they abuse paths at their peril, and that the county means business. And it would be a cost-effective way of getting the paths reopened.
‘The Ramblers would certainly support the county in such action.
‘We congratulate the county on the work it has done in improving the Shropshire Way, and the Shropshire Ramblers were pleased to donate £500 towards this work. But now we want to see the many other lovely paths of Shropshire reopened—they are part of our heritage and we all want to be able to enjoy them.’ Kate concludes.
