BRECON BEACONS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY ____________________________ RIGHTS OF WAY IMPROVEMENT PLAN ____________________________ JUNE 2007 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2007 FOREWORD This document aims to comply with ‘ acceptable standards of fairness, transparency, accountability, equality, respect and bi-lingualism’ ( Climbing Higher , the Welsh Assembly Government Strategy for Sport and Physical Activity 2000, 1.2). We aim to make it clear, concise and accessible to as many people and groups as possible. Consultation on this document has been extensive. Copies of the Draft Rights of Way Improvement Plan were sent to all statutory consultees as well as many user groups and individuals (see Appendix 1). A copy was made available for inspection at the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority head office at the address below and also on the National Park Authority website. During the consultation period on the Draft Plan a large number of comments were received. Most of those comments have been incorporated into this final Plan. This final version of the Rights of Way Improvement Plan was adopted by the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority on the 26 th June 2007. Copies of the final Plan are available for inspection at the National Park Authority head office at the address below and also on the National Park Authority website. THIS DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE IN LARGE PRINT OR ON EMAIL ON REQUEST TO THE ADDRESS BELOW. Rights of Way Officer, Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, Plas y Ffynnon, Cambrian Way, Brecon Powys, LD3 7HP Email: [email protected] Website: www.breconbeacons.org 1 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2007 CONTENTS PAGE Foreword 1 Abbreviations and glossary 4 List of maps and tables 6 Summary 7 Strategic Context 9 PART 1 Background 1.1 Structure of this plan 17 1.2 Introduction to the rights of way improvement plan 17 1.3 The Brecon Beacons National Park 20 1.4 Public rights of way and other access in the Brecon Beacons 20 National Park 1.5 Administration of access and public rights of way 23 PART 2 Assessments of the Public rights of Way Network and User Needs 2.1 Introduction 25 2.2 The strategic context for the management and improvement of 26 rights of way 2.2.2 - Health and social issues 26 2.2.3 - Economic benefits 28 2.2.4 - Transport 29 2.3 Condition of the public rights of way network 31 2.4 Definitive map and statement 34 2.5 Publicity and promotion for public rights of way 38 2.6 Management and protection of the public rights of way network 41 and access areas 2.7 Assessment of needs of current and future users 48 2.7.7. - Opportunities 54 2.7.11 - Conclusions 55 PART 3 Statement of Action for the Management and Improvement of the Public Rights of Way Network 3.1 Introduction 56 3.1.2 - Key to Statement of Action tables 56 3.2 Statement of Action Tables 59 SOA1 Monitoring and Assessment of Rights of Way Improvement Plan 59 SOA2 Improvements to the public rights of way network 60 SOA3 Improvements in the provision of information 62 SOA4 Improvements to Definitive Map and Statement 63 SOA5 Improvement of public access through agri-environment scheme 64 SOA6 Parking for the disabled and integration of transport schemes 64 2 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2007 Appendices 1. List of consultees for the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority 65 Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2. Bibliography 69 3. Possible sources of funding for implementation of the Rights of Way 74 Improvement plan 4. Survey of the whole rights of way network 75 5. New structure of Warden Section as at April 2007 76 3 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2007 ABBREVIATIONS AND GLOSSARY Access Land Registered common land and land mapped by CCW as mountain, moor, heath or down (open country) to which the public have a right of access on foot under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 BBNP Brecon Beacons National Park The area covered by the Brecon Beacons National Park BBNPA Brecon Beacons National Park Authority A special purpose local authority responsible for the management of the Brecon Beacons National Park. BOAT Byway Open to All Traffic Public right of way with rights for pedestrians, horse riders, cyclists, carriages and mechanically propelled vehicles. Bridleway Public right of way with the right to walk, ride or lead a horse or to cycle (cyclists must give way to other users). CBC County Borough Council CC County Council CCW Countryside Council for Wales CRoW Act Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 Definitive Map The Definitive Map and Statement identifies all registered public rights of way. Footpath Public right of way with rights for walkers and users of class 2 and 3 disabled vehicles. Ha Hectares Km Kilometres LAF Local Access Forum Statutory body of local volunteers with experience of a wide variety of access issues. LAFs were established under the CRoW Act to advise local authorities, national park authorities, CCW, WAG and others on improvement of public access to land for the purposes of open air recreation and enjoyment. The National Park Authority currently has three LAFs covering the western, central and eastern areas of the National Park and their meetings are open to members of the public for observation. Least Restrictive Option There is no standard definition of the term but it encompasses the principle of making access as easy as possible for the greatest diversity of people and is generally applied to field furniture. The order of priority when installing furniture will be gap, gate and stile according to the expected level of use likely to be made of the route and the management of the land. Lost Ways Lost ways are public rights of way which may have existed before 1949 but were not legally registered. 4 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2007 They may also be public rights of way with incorrectly recorded status. Sections 53 to 56 of the CRoW Act state that unrecorded rights of way which must be proved by historical evidence will be extinguished in 2026 when any unrecorded higher rights will also be lost. Local Transport Plans The Welsh Assembly Government directed that all local authorities should produce a Local Transport Plan by 2000; these are now being reviewed. The WAG Guidance stresses the importance of the ROWIP policies being integrated into those of the Local Transport Plans. Public Right of Way A way over which members of the public have a right to pass and repass. There are four types - see footpath, bridleway, RB and BOAT. ROWIP Rights of Way Improvement Plan RB Restricted Byway An RB is a former Road Used as a Public Path (RUPP) and came into being on enactment of sections 47 and 48 of the CRoW Act giving rights to walkers, horse riders, cyclists and carriage drivers. Due to legal reclassification RUPPs no longer exist. Scoping Study exeGesIS, Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, Rights of Way Improvement Plan, Scoping Study (September 2003).The Scoping Study was commissioned by the BBNPA and part funded by the Countryside Council for Wales. WAG Welsh Assembly Government WAG Guidance Welsh Assembly Government, Rights of Way Improvement Plans, Guidance to Local Highway Authorities in Wales (2002), a document produced by the Welsh Assembly Government to help local authorities in their production of Rights of Way Improvement Plans. 5 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2007 MAPS AND TABLES Page Table 1 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority rights of way 18 improvement plan purposes and priorities Table 2 Public rights of way and access land within the 21 Brecon Beacons National Park Table 3 Lengths and status of public rights of way by county 21 Table 4 Lengths of public rights of way in National Park Areas 21 Table 5 Unclassified county roads by county 23 Table 6 Wales and Brecon Beacons National Park, results of 31 Countryside Council for Wales condition survey Table 7 Results of 5% surveys, 2002 – 2007 32 Table 8 Summary of the Brecon Beacons National Park condition 33 survey to date (April 2007) Table 9 Schedule of outstanding public rights of way applications 35 as at April 2007 Table 10 Progress in clearing existing backlog of applications 35 Table 11 Likely progress to clear identified anomalies 36 Table 12 Access and rights of way budgets 43 Table 13 Unitary authority contributions 43 Table 14 Total salary budgets 2005/06 44 Table 15 Total salary budgets 2006/07 44 Table 16 Standard furniture costs 45 Table 17 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority current costs for 46 new furniture Table 18 Upland paths surveyed 2006 47 Table 19 Issues raised in user assessments 50 Map 1 Linear access within the Brecon Beacons National Park 77 Map 2 Area access within the Brecon Beacons National Park 78 6 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2007 SUMMARY This Rights of Way Improvement Plan has been produced as required by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 following the principles laid down in the Welsh Assembly Government Guidance. This Rights of Way Improvement Plan has involved a fundamental review of the condition of the public rights of way network, how it is managed and how it can be improved for the benefit of its users and potential users. Production of the Rights of Way Improvement Plan is also regarded as an opportunity to identify the necessary staff and financial resources to improve and maintain this network.