In April 2007, Lincolnshire County Council published its first Countryside Access & Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP). The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW) required all highway authorities to publish a ROWIP for their area by November 2007.
What is the Lincolnshire Countryside Access & Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP)?
The ROWIP is a five year strategic document covering the whole of Lincolnshire, setting out how the authority intends to improve the management, provision and promotion of public rights of way in the county. The ROWIP will build on the investment and improvements made to the access network over a number of years and will be a "distinct strand" of the Local Transport Plan.
The ROWIP is intended for use by those working and implementing policy including outdoor recreation and leisure provision, transport, planning, land management, health and social issues.
The CROW Act required assessments to be made of:
- The extent to which local rights of way meet the present and likely future needs of the public
- The opportunities provided by local rights of way for exercise and other forms of open-air recreation and the enjoyment of the authority’s area
- The accessibility of local rights of way to blind or partially sighted persons and others with mobility problems, and
- Such other matters relating to local rights of way as the Secretary of State may direct
Countryside Access & Rights of Way Improvement Plan Vision Statement
Our Vision for the Rights of Way Improvement Plan in Lincolnshire is:-
To have an integrated network of rights of way that is relevant for today’s needs, bringing added benefits to residents and visitors by supporting wider interests including sustainable transport, rural economy and tourism, health benefits and quality of life issues.
The ROWIP has been written around four themes, demonstrating the contribution a well maintained and easy to use access network can make to wider social issues. The ROWIP themes were identified following the completion of the use and demand assessments:
- Sustainable Transport - use of rights of way for walking and cycling for short trips
- Health & well-being - increasing physical activity and benefits to mental health
- Rural Economy & Tourism - increase in tourism and visitor spend to the county
- Social Issues - improving access to services and tackling deprivation
Putting the Plan into Action
The Statement of Action within the ROWIP sets out our plans for implementing the ROWIP with targets and timescales for delivery. Whilst it is a requirement to prepare and publish a ROWIP, there is no statutory requirement, or specified funds to implement one. Improvement work is being implemented through existing budgets and we are currently looking at potential sources of external and other non-statutory forms of funding to translate the ROWIP to actions on the ground.
Copies of the plan are available from the address below or as a download from the website:
Access Development Team
Development
Lincolnshire County Council
4th Floor
City Hall
Lincoln
LN1 1DN
For further information, contact the Access Development Team:
Telephone: 01522 552808
Email: countryside_access@lincolnshire.gov.uk
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