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email this page to a friendTHE Yorkshire Dales National Park has tabled a proposal which could lead to the re-opening of many miles of footpaths and bridleways - but the park authority is taking a cautious approach.
 Paths to re-open? |
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The newly created Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, MAFF's successor, has told all local authorities in England that public rights of way can be reopened within three kilometres of confirmed foot and mouth outbreaks.
But the park, which will today open discussions on the issue with North Yorkshire and Cumbria county councils, is suggesting a six kilometre because the disease is still raging in the Settle area. Park officials, wary of possible public criticism whilst mass culling still goes on, would only open rights of way down to the three kilometre limit following guidance from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. |
David Butterworth, chief executive of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, said: "By tabling our proposal we are looking to take a view beyond the current crisis. We want to be in a position to take an area based approach to open additional rights of way when it is considered safe to do so and to have a plan that allows us to do just that in a thoroughly thought out and properly resourced way.
"By discussing the proposal today we will be better prepared to open footpaths and bridleways in a timely and consistent way, which the public will be able to understand, paving the way for proper access to the rights of way network in the park.
"We would be acting irresponsibly if we took the Government's guidance as read and opened all rights of way more than three kilometres away form infected farms when there are still new outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in the south of the park. What we can do, and what we are doing, is ensuring that we are ready to act when it is safe to do so."
For further information on public access, National Park Centres are open seven days a week, with staff on hand to tell the public what is still on offer and provide information about the many attractions and events they can visit or take part in throughout the area. The Authority's seven National Park Centres are in Sedbergh, Aysgarth Falls, Clapham, Grassington, Hawes, Malham and Reeth.