Network Assessment

From GPG

for information on evaluation techniques go to Evaluating Existing Networks

For examples of how authorities described their network assessment in their ROWIPs see :

Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn ROWIP 4.3 Assessment of the Network

The main resources available to those who wish to visit the countryside are:

• local rights of way;
• areas of access land, including forestry land dedicated for public access;
• other areas with a right of public access (e.g. country parks, urban commons);
• permissive linear access (such as canal towpaths, permissive routes provided by landowners);
• permissive area-wide access (such as that provided by agri-environment schemes or simply tolerated by the landowner).

The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 only requires us to present proposals in relation to local rights of way. However, Defra's guidance suggests that other forms of access should be taken into account when preparing the Rights of Way Improvement Plan. So, we have considered this array of different access opportunities within our assessment. The assessment has been considered in two ways - through an access audit and through the Bowland Fells Open Country Pilot Project.