The Government’s decision to abolish the deadline to save off-road routes in England has been welcomed as a “huge step” in horse and rider safety.
Defra announced today (26 December) that the 2031 deadline by which historic rights of way were to have been recorded has been repealed, so these “will not be lost to the public”.
H&H has reported on the cut-off date, which was initially in 2026. The previous Government abolished it, then pushed it back by five years, which the British Horse Society (BHS) said would put “horse riders at increasing risk on England’s roads”.
But it has now been removed for good.
“England has thousands of miles of unrecorded rights of way which are well used by walkers, cyclists and equestrians, but aren’t officially recorded or protected,” a Defra spokesperson said.
“These paths are some of the oldest inscriptions on our landscapes – a tangible record of people’s movements over the centuries, with many paths and roads we use today dating back hundreds or thousands of years. For many walkers, the knowledge that you’re on an ancient path trodden by generations of our ancestors is one of walking’s great pleasures.
“However, local authorities have struggled under the burden of recording historic rights of way, which are estimated to stretch over 40,000 miles, by the 2031 cut-off date introduced by the last Government. The Government’s move to reverse that decision means these paths will no longer be lost to the public.”
The BHS has been working for years with supporters and volunteers to record off-road routes, and lobbying the Government.
“The BHS is hugely relieved to learn that the UK Government has today announced its decision to repeal the 2031 cut-off date,” a spokesperson for the charity said.
“This means thousands of rights of way across the UK will no longer vanish in seven years’ time, helping more people in future to access the great outdoors and all the benefits this brings.
“For equestrians in particular, an improved off-road network of bridleways and byways is hugely important. Since 2010, over 630 horses have been killed on UK roads and 1,500 injured. More than 1,680 equestrians have been injured too. These routes will play an essential role in helping to eliminate further fatalities, as they enable horse riders and carriage drivers to avoid, or at least minimise, the time spent on fast-flowing roads.”
BHS director of access Mark Weston added that these stats have shown how important off-road riding routes are.
“The Government’s intention to repeal the 2031 cut-off date is a huge step,” he said. “Not only does it mean that our routes can be protected for future generations to enjoy and treasure, but it is also very important for the safety of the general public.”
Since the cut-off date was introduced by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, the BHS had been “committed to lobbying the government to abolish this deadline”.
“Through our Project 2026 campaign (the originally proposed cut off-date), we have made great steps to save over 3,700 bridleways and byways from being wiped off the definitive map,” Mr Weston said. “Our trained volunteers have worked tirelessly across England to research and submit these applications to local authorities.
“Although we may no longer be working towards a looming deadline, we will continue to collaborate with our brilliant network of 400 access volunteers to record routes. We are committed to making sure our off-road network is protected from obstruction, development and neglect. Researching and recording our routes is the very best way to do this.”
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