Warwickshire County Rights of Way Improvement Plan

Results updated 28 Oct 2024

Many thanks to everyone who responded to the Warwickshire Rights of Way Improvement Plan survey.

We had over 2,400 responses to the survey which we have been looking at carefully.

The results of the survey have shown us how important public rights of way are to you in your everyday life and in improving your quality of life.

85% of people who responded said that they were an important part of their regular activity.
A very high proportion also said that public rights of way are important for their physical health (87%) and for their mental wellbeing (86%).
89% said they were an important way for them to enjoy and explore nature.

Thinking about priorities you told us that your top three priorities for improving your experience when using public rights of way were, in order, clearing overgrown paths, improving signing along the routes and opening up paths which have been deliberately blocked.

All the feedback received will be used to shape the final ROWIP and an action plan. This will be considered by elected members in 2025. Following this, the final strategy will be published on our ROWIP page.

Overview

Warwickshire County Council is responsible for around 1700 miles of public rights of way. These paths are both in the countryside and urban areas. They are important for enjoying and exploring, for travelling to work or school and for health and wellbeing. They are part of what makes Warwickshire a special place to live, work and enjoy.

A public right of way is a path that anyone has the legal right to use. There are four types:

Footpaths for walking, mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs
Bridleways for walking, horse riding, cycling, mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs
Restricted byways for walking, horse riding, cycling, mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs and horse-drawn carriages
Byways for all modes including motorised vehicles

Every council that is responsible for public rights of way must have a Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP). This is a strategy which sets out how public rights of way meet the needs of the public, now and in the future. Our current Rights of Way Improvement Plan dates from 2011 and now needs to be reviewed.

We'd like to know about your experience of using our public rights of way, how important they are for you and what we should include in the new Rights of Way Improvement Plan. Your feedback will help to develop the priorities and actions of the new Rights of Way Improvement Plan, which will be produced later in 2024. Once the new Rights of Way Improvement Plan has been finalised and approved by the council it will be published on Warwickshire County Council’s website.

Please complete our survey by 7 April 2024.

If you require a paper copy of the survey or an alternative format or language please email wccrowip@blackwoodbayne.co.uk or paths@warwickshire.gov.uk or call 01926 413427.

The process of producing the new ROWIP is being supported by an external consultant. If you need to discuss the process or have specific questions about the exercise please contact wccrowip@blackwoodbayne.co.uk. Alternatively, please contact Warwickshire County Council on paths@warwickshire.gov.uk or call 01926 413427.

This survey is to support the Improvement Plan only. If you want to report a problem on a public right of way please click on the link below: https://rowreporting.warwickshire.gov.uk/CAMSWeb/standardmap.aspx

What happens next

This survey has now closed. Thank you to everyone who to took the time to respond. All the feedback received will be used to shape the final ROWIP and an action plan. This will be considered by elected members in early 2025. Following this, the final strategy will be published on our ROWIP page.

Please check back on this webpage later in the year for a more detailed update on your feedback and how it has shaped the plan.

Areas

All Areas

Audiences

Anyone from any background

Interests

Engagement and surveys

Contact