THE Yorkshire Dales National Park announced today the "limited opening" of some 12 miles of public rights of way for the coming May bank holiday weekend - but only after lengthy and detailed risk assessment.

The move follows a speech yesterday by Environment Minister Beverley Hughes accusing some local councils of "dragging their feet" of re-opening footpaths and bridleways.

North Yorkshire County Council, which is responsible for rights of way, has been under intense pressure from Whitehall ever since the U-turn in Government policy at the beginning of the crisis when the initial "countryside closed" scare threatened thousands of tourist businesses with bankruptcy.

The council has, however, resisted this pressure until today's announcement and even so, the 20 kilometres to be re-opened represents only a tiny percentage of hundreds of miles of paths in the national park.

The decision, which will see about 20 kilometres of rights of way across some 30 different routes opened, comes after a risk assessment process, undertaken by park rangers, identified that these routes could be opened safely. All routes are outside the infected areas and do not cross open farmland.

The footpaths and bridleways that will be opened will be clearly marked with green 'open' signs. Those that remain closed, which are the majority in the National Park, will be signed with a red 'closed' sign.

David Butterworth, chief executive of the Dales National Park Authority, said: "Containment of foot and mouth disease in the National Park has been and remains the priority for this authority.

"Over the last couple of weeks we have been involved in a very detailed risk assessment process that has allowed us to give the green light to a cautious and responsible opening of a limited number of rights of way in the south of the National Park. The routes, well away from any foot and mouth outbreaks, will offer visitors and residents safe access to the rights of way network.

"We will continue to ask the public to act responsibly and to enjoy the routes that have been opened, but where a route is marked as being closed, or where there is any doubt we would ask them not to go on to that route. For anyone wanting to walk in the park, their first stop should be one of our centres where staff will be on hand to tell them where they can go and what routes are open," said Mr Butterworth.

The Authority's rangers and voluntary wardens will oversee the openings of the rights of way and be on hand to advise the public, landowners and farmers of the developments.

The Authority's National Park Centres are located in Aysgarth, Clapham, Grassington, Hawes, Malham, Reeth and Sedbergh.

An up-to-date list of open rights of way will be posted on North Yorkshire County Council's website at

www.northyorks.gov.uk/footnmouth/footpaths.asp

All of the park centres will also have up-to-date information, as well as reference maps that show the openings on the ground.