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Figure 5.3b Frequency of obstacles per 10km on all rights of way
|
Status |
Inconvenient / 10km |
Unusable / 10km |
Total / 10km |
|
Footpath |
24 |
13 |
37 |
|
Bridleway |
18 |
9 |
27 |
|
RUPP |
25 |
17 |
42 |
|
BOAT |
14 |
3 |
17 |
|
All Wales |
22.9 |
12.4 |
35.3 |
4 times more Footpaths are unusable than BOATs!
Figure 5.3c Number of obstacles per 10Km by status
|
Obstacle type |
Inconvenient / 10km |
Unusable / 10km |
|
Wall/fence/hedge across path |
2.6 |
6.6 |
|
Natural surface vegetation |
2.5 |
1.6 |
|
Natural vegetation from sides or above |
3.2 |
1.0 |
|
Unbridged water course |
1.2 |
0.5 |
|
Steep slippery slope |
0.4 |
0.3 |
|
Muddy/boggy/flooded |
2.1 |
0.3 |
|
Crops or ploughed/cultivated surface |
0.2 |
0.1 |
|
Rough surface, deep ruts |
0.3 |
0.1 |
Figure 5.3d The most commonly encountered obstacle types (All Wales)
Discussion
Highway authorities are responsible for ensuring that rights of way are free from obstacles, although the task of removing obstacles is divided between the landholder and local authority depending on the type of problem. Specifically highway authorities have to maintain the surface of every right of way that is ‘maintainable at public expense’, so that it is suitable for the expected use of the path.
Nationally there are just under 12.4 obstacles per 10km that make a path unusable. This means that the average distance between obstacles that block a path is approximately 0.8km. This varies widely though between authority areas, with extremes of around 20 per km and 0.7 per km. In most areas the number of obstacles that render a path inconvenient is greater than those that render a path unusable.
exeGesIS SDM Ltd. Page 33 March 2003
ECONOMIC VALUE OF RoW
The task of bringing the whole 33,200 km path network into a satisfactory condition is estimated at approximately £26 million. Thereafter, the total annual maintenance cost is estimated at approximately £8.37 million. If the upgrade costs are distributed over a 5 year period and added to the annual maintenance costs, the annual investment (for each of the next 5 years) is estimated as £13.6 million per year or approximately £400 per km per year. This compares to an annual economic value of the path* network estimated by the Wales Tourist Board at £548 million. (*includes BOATs & RUPPs)
2.0 Introduction Over 33,000km of public rights of way weave their way through the fabric of the countryside of Wales. Originally part of the rural communications network before the era of surfaced roads and motor vehicles, their use today is mainly recreational. They provide a means of being able to walk, ride, cycle or occasionally drive through the countryside and enjoy its peace and tranquillity, away from surfaced roads dominated by motor vehicles. The fact that all public rights of way are protected in law as highways and can be used ‘as of right’ makes the network a uniquely valuable asset and one that, if lost, could never be replaced. In enabling access to the Welsh countryside, public rights of way provide more than a means of recreation. High quality access through the landscapes of Wales allows visitors and residents to enjoy, appreciate and understand their environment and is therefore essential if a wider and deeper constituency of support for the countryside is to be built. It is also the case that the tourism industry in Wales is substantially founded upon the quality and accessibility of the countryside. Through this association a well-managed path network can provide significant economic and social benefits.
Wales RoW Condition Survey Final Report for Countryside Council for Wales May 2003
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