We slate Caerphilly Council
We have criticised Caerphilly County Borough Council for claiming that its legal duties to maintain public paths are merely discretionary. The council’s online survey on its budget, ‘help us to shape your services’, asks for the public’s views on what it calls ‘discretionary services’ It includes in these ‘Country parks, including public rights of way…
Read More
John Riddall—a lawyer for the people
We are sad that John Riddall, who lived in Bradwell in the Derbyshire Peak District, has died aged 86. He had been our vice-president since 2003 and was a trustee (1987–1993) and our local correspondent for the Derbyshire Dales district (1986-1994). With John Trevelyan he was co-author of the second, third and fourth editions of…
Read MoreTake care of your footpaths
In a recent edition of the Clun Chronicle, Cliff Freund, our long-standing member and former local correspondent for Shropshire, stresses the importance of getting involved, and supporting organisations such as OSS, if you want to protect your local rights-of-way network. Read his article here.
Read MoreHave you walked the Mariners’ Way at Lettaford, North Bovey, Devon?
We are helping our member Sally Button over a dispute concerning the public footpath (also the Mariners’ Way) through Lettaford. This is an ancient farm at North Bovey near Moretonhampstead, Devon (postcode TQ13 8RH). It appears that the definitive map is in error because the definitive route of footpath 6 is blocked by an ancient…
Read MoreCross-compliance on public paths should apply in Wales
We have urged the Welsh Government to require that landowners and occupiers who receive agri-environment funding keep the public paths on their land in good order. The society was responding to the government’s consultation on Common Agricultural Policy reform and cross-compliance. We have said that owners or occupiers who receive public funds for the management…
Read MoreCommon-land swap approved for Walton Heath, Surrey
The Planning Inspectorate has approved plans by Walton Heath Golf Club to swap an area of common land known as Beecham’s Field on the golf course for a site some distance away. The land to be taken is 80,000 square metres on the west side of the golf course (near the car-park) which the golf…
Read MoreGating plan for rural lane in Warwickshire
The society and the Warwickshire Ramblers have objected to a plan by Warwickshire County Council to put a locked gate across Tinkers Lane, Lapworth, south of the M40. The council has consulted us about making a gating order to reduce alleged crime and anti-social behaviour. We strongly oppose this because they have seen no evidence…
Read More
Isle of Wight to have coastal access at last
We are delighted that the government has today (10 July) announced that the Isle of Wight will be included in the coastal-access provisions of Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. The Act excludes from the coastal access process any island from which it is not possible to walk from the mainland. Such islands must be…
Read More
We deplore green space ‘sop’
Our vice-president, the open spaces expert Paul Clayden, condemned the government’s Local Green Space designation as a sop to local people, and no substitute for village and town greens. He was addressing our annual general meeting in London on 8 July. Paul said: ‘The Local Green Space, introduced in the government’s National Planning Policy Framework…
Read More
Delight at ruling against path closure at Maulden, Beds
We are delighted that a plan to close a footpath in Maulden, Central Bedfordshire has been rejected by an independent inspector following a public inquiry last month. Central Bedfordshire Council made an order to close Maulden footpath 28 which runs past the property Ein-Ty in Clophill Road. Because there were objections, from the Open Spaces…
Read More