Footpath maintenance in Randwick

Gloucestershire has about 3,430 miles of footpaths, bridleways, byways and restricted byways that make up its public rights of way network - I learnt yesterday at Randwick Parish Council meeting that 9 and a half miles are in Randwick Parish alone.

These paths are the responsibility of the County who are also responsible for maintaining the official 'definitive' map of public rights of way. In practice, few field paths receive routine maintenance by the County so in many areas Parish Councils step in - this is the case in Randwick where many key paths are cut several times a year by funds from the Parish Council.

At the Parish Council Cllr Tracey Waite raised concerns that a number of parishioners were noting that paths had recently become too difficult to negotiate. Two people had also raised this issue with me (see photo of a path that is better than some) - part of the problem is that cutting times have been loosely fixed and a late spring with recent rain has led to rapid growth.

The Parish following discussion have, rightly in my view, agreed to look at changing the contract so cutting could be done when needed and possibly more often. Indeed the Parish are taking very positive steps to ensure that footpaths are accessible and Cllr. Martin Rendell produced an excellent huge map with all the paths marked and numbered so that problems could be reported more easily. Cllr. Mark Rees was elected as the new Footpaths Officer and the Council agreed to invite the County Rights of Way Officer to a future meeting to continue to build on a good working relationship.

In the meantime most of the key paths have now been cut in Randwick.

See more about County responsibilities at:
http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=7997

How landowners can help:
http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=7996

Read more at:
http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=72