Nearly 6,500 people signed the Ramblers petition on the No. 10 website calling for the government to repeal the legislation which will extinguish thousands of unrecorded rights of way in 2026.
In its response, the government refers to the group that was established to explore the issues surrounding recording historic rights of way on the definitive map.
Janet Davis, Senior Policy Officer at the Ramblers, welcomed the postponement of the cut off until after the group has reported. She said: “By the time the petition closed on 1 July 2009 nearly 6,500 people had signed. That made it overwhelmingly the best signed petition in the ‘environmental’ section of the Downing Street website.
“It collected near double the amount of signatures of its closest runner in the category, before it closed. Many thanks to everyone who signed.
“We are very pleased that the Government has re-affirmed its commitment not to pursue the implementation of the cut-off date until after the Stakeholder Working Group has reported.
“The Ramblers is part of that group which comprises representatives of user groups, landowners and local authorities. We are hopeful that a number of constructive ideas will be presented to the government by the end of the year which will improve the legislation surrounding the recording of paths on definitive maps, to the benefit of all concerned, so that the need for a cut-off date is either removed or its effect on the network of unrecorded routes reduced.”
Read the full Government response to the petition.
Read more about Discovering Lost Ways
