Bracknell

Bracknell Forest Borough Council is bringing the local rights of way into the 21st century and wants to know how you think they could be improved.

The Council has launched a plan to improve public rights of way, which can be downloaded from the Council website, and wants to hear what you think of it.

As part of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, all councils must produce a Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP), with ideas to manage and improve rights of way to meet the needs of the public, by 2007.

Public rights of way include footpaths, bridleways, byways and Roads Used as Public Paths (RUPPs). An initial plan for Bracknell Forest has been published and is available for public comment. It is aimed at everyone who uses public rights of way, including walkers, cyclists, horse-riders, less mobile users and motorists - or even if you've never used a public right of way!

Heather White, the Council's planning and projects manager, said: "Access to the countryside is really important for everyone and we hope that this plan will guide the way we improve our rights of way network over the next 10 years or so. Our overall aim is to provide good quality, easily accessible countryside for everyone as well as information on their rights and responsibilities. We welcome comments on the draft plan from anyone, whether they use public paths regularly or not."

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Leisure and Corporate Services, said: "Here in Bracknell Forest we are extremely fortunate with the amount and variety of parks and countryside, with walkways and trails. It's important that we get access to them defined, maintained and improved. This plan will help protect and improve the rights of way for the future so we want to hear your views to make the right improvements."

The Council hopes to improve public rights of way so they:

* are easy to follow;
* are easy to find out about;
* are physically accessible for all;
* meet the needs of all users for both recreation and access.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council ~ 3 November 2005