Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2025: Statement of need consultation

Core tasks

• Review the Definitive Map Modification Orders (DMMO) policy and establish a new priority system for Public Path Order (PPO) applications in light of the Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP), to give a potentially higher priority to key routes that will improve or increase access
• Review the current path priority system for maintenance and enforcement of Public Rights of Way (PROW).
• Review the maintenance and enforcement policies for PROW and publicise to farmers, landowners and the public.
• Review current Parish Paths Partnership scheme and explore ways to increase community involvement.
• Undertake whole network condition survey.
• Seek opportunities to reduce the number of unnecessary stiles and barriers on the PROW network.
• Continue to fully sign and waymark the PROW network.
• Continue annual programme of vegetation clearance on PROW.
• Continue to ensure that the public has access to designated areas of Open Country and Registered Common Land under Countryside and Rights of Way Act (CROW).
• Continue to provide information and promote wider use of the PROW network.
• Develop longer distance routes and trails

Sustainable transport

• Identify and improve off-road routes linking communities with schools, employment centres and local services
• Improve enforcement and management of urban public rights of way to combat litter, fly-tipping and dog-fouling
• Seek improvements for nonmotorised travel in proposals for new developments. Schemes funded through developer contributions
• Develop walking and cycling from public transport interchanges
• Promote use of public transport on leaflets and website
• Publish rights of way guide for planning authorities and developers

Health and well-being

• Improve infrastructure on paths used for health walk initiatives
• Reduce number of unnecessary barriers - remove stiles where practical and replace with gates or kissing gates to increase accessibility
• Ensure cross-field paths are reinstated after ploughing
• Improve routes in areas of highest health deprivation in Lincolnshire
• Undertake accessibility audit of whole network
• Develop a range of key routes in conjunction with disability groups
• Promote and support health walking schemes and assist partners with development of new schemes
• Promote benefits of using rights of way to wider range of potential users including young people
• Produce targeted information for general practitioner (GP) surgeries, health centres in areas reporting highest health deprivation
• Publicise barrier free routes
• Take opportunities to promote responsible countryside access including the Countryside Code through website and other media

Rural economy and tourism

• Identify and develop circular and linear recreational routes to and from countryside / tourism sites
• Improve the maintenance and management of routes close to popular areas of the county and key tourist attractions
• Improve maintenance and promotion of promoted routes and county trails
• Support and encourage new tourist attractions to include walking and cycling through planning consultation process
• Support partners with development of new trails
• Develop a Lincolnshire Coastal Trail
• Provide public transport information at key sites and promoted routes
• Produce walking, cycling and riding information in a variety of formats and for holiday accommodation providers
• Develop website to include interactive web walks with links to local services and tourist attractions
• Develop a range of information panels at gateway sites / villages to promote access opportunities and local services available

Social issues

• Improve quality of waymarking to increase user confidence and assist land managers
• Identify all missing bridges on key network routes, develop and implement a work programme
• Implement programme of signing the unsurfaced unclassified county roads
• Clarify who can use which route through better signage
• Develop a programme of improved vegetation cutting on key routes close to settlements with parish councils
• Complete audit of busy road crossings and implement prioritised programme of improvements
• Improve management of existing routes available for motorised users and carriage drivers
• Identify all cross-boundary links with neighbouring authorities to ensure consistency of maintenance and promotion
• Pilot a project to provide signage incorporating distance and destination information to key routes
• Support Highway Divisions with the implementation of Quiet Lanes
• Develop a range of circular routes for cyclists and equestrians in areas of highest demand. Identify suitable roadside verges and “behind the hedge” links to create safer links between existing routes and improve management of those links identified. Support DEFRA schemes that increase access and link PROW
• Identify areas deficient in access where access proposals would benefit the rights of way network
• Review current Definitive Map Modification Order priority system to give higher priority to key cases that will improve connectivity of the existing network for users
• Establish a priority system for Public Path Orders giving higher priority to cases that will improve connectivity of the existing network for users
• Implement a programme of staff training to increase awareness of diversity issues relating to highway and countryside access
• Identify existing routes that meet needs of restricted mobility users and publicise
• Develop and implement an accessibility policy in conjunction with disability groups
• Develop links with organisations to implement a programme of themed guided walks, rides and events
• Develop policies and guidance which explain how the authority will manage the rights of way network and publicise
• Promote leaflets and access information to increase confidence and take up by non users
• Improve driver awareness of equestrians
• Produce Countryside Access newsletter 

Network improvements

1. We will work with parish councils and community groups to deliver community led schemes which can demonstrate local demand and lead to greater use
2. Reduce the number of unnecessary barriers – remove stiles where practical and replace with gaps, gates or kissing gates to increase accessibility
3. We aim to prioritise and implement improvement suggestions included in community and village plans
4. We aim to provide effective enforcement on the public rights of way network by prioritising customer reports
5. Examine opportunities to improve road safety on the public rights of way network and implement appropriate schemes depending on the availability of resources
6. We will work with the Highways Agency to identify and implement safety improvements at locations where the public rights of way network intersects with the A1
7. Continue to seek opportunities to encourage responsible, safe and courteous road use by drivers and all users
8. We will continue to work with Network Rail to improve public safety at level crossings on Lincolnshire’s public rights of way network
9. Identify and Improve off road routes linking communities with schools, employment centres and local services
10. Seek improvements for non-motorised travel in proposals for new developments.  Schemes funded through developer contribution
11. With appropriate green infrastructure partners identify and develop circular and linear recreational routes to and from the countryside and tourism sites
12. Improve access to, and within, green infrastructure areas for all members of society, including disabled users
13. Assist in the development of the Lincolnshire section of the National Coastal Trail
14. To work with Natural England and the Coastal Grazing Marshes project to maximise the access opportunities on Theddlethorpe and Saltfleetby Dunes National Nature Reserve (NNR)
15. Using the volunteer network, establish an inspection regime of the recreational Unclassified County Road (UCR) network
16. Complete UCR management plan to assist in the future management of the UCR network
17. Complete the programme of UCR signage on UCRs with recreational value
18. Produce a Geographical Information System (GIS) layer of UCRs considered to be important recreational highways
19. To work with planning authorities and developers to identify and promote opportunities for sustainable access, recreation and movement to encourage healthy lifestyles and wellbeing for communities in central Lincolnshire
20. To work with planning authorities and developers to enhance rights of way and cycling networks across central Lincolnshire to encourage a shift to walking and cycling

Improved customer service

1. Publish a public rights of way customer service charter
2. Continue to prioritise and address the current backlog of applications for Definitive Map Modification Orders
3. Ensure new applications for Definitive Map Modification Orders get higher priority where they result in the enhancement of the existing rights of way network
4. Seek resolution of cross boundary issues and anomalies concerning the recorded status of public rights of way
5. Maximise the potential of the internet and other media to provide information about the public rights of way network and countryside access
6. Develop the countryside access map to incorporate greater functionality and reliability
7. The authority will co-ordinate with other agencies to provide access data, including the exchange of information
8. Produce relevant policies which are clear, accurate and contain understandable information about the public rights of way function
9. We will help people to understand the public rights of way network and the use of the countryside
10. We will work with partner organisations to create promoted walks and rides in green infrastructure areas
11. Undertake a full review of the Viking Way
12. Examine ways to produce materials in a wider range of formats so that it appeals, and is accessible to a broader range of interests and needs

Social inclusion

1. Develop a range of key routes that meet the needs of restricted mobility users and publicise with disability groups
2. Continue to work towards promoting the countryside and rights of way access to the widest possible audience
3. Continue to use volunteer effort for the undertaking of public rights of way condition surveys
4. Continue to support and develop the countryside access warden scheme
5. Explore opportunities to use volunteer work groups to undertake practical public rights of way maintenance and improvement tasks
6. Seek further opportunities to expand the contribution which volunteers make to the management of the public rights of way network
7. Seek opportunities to develop the parish paths partnership scheme to enhance community benefit
8. Encourage the use of the public rights of way network to enhance health and well-being
9. To work with health service providers and Natural England to support and expand the walking for health scheme and develop other initiatives in Lincolnshire
10. Increase opportunities for people to get into the countryside and use the natural environment to improve physical health and well-being