ROWIP Consultation

From GPG

Jump to: navigation, search
Caution: Archived Article. Last revised Oct 06. Content may be out-of-date.

Contents

ROWIP Consultation

ROWIPs must assess the extent to which the local rights of way meet the present and likely future needs of the public. This assessment must evaluate opportunities for exercise, open air recreation and enjoyment. The Act specifically requires authorities to consider the needs of those who are partially sighted or have mobility problems. This requires external consultation.

However this is not the only demand which needs to be assessed. Within each authority there will be internal and political requirements and expectations. A key feature of the ROWIP is that it must take into account a wide range of other plans and strategies. It is vital that this internal consultation is carried out and that the management of rights of way is fully integrated with the work of the authority.

The Countryside Agency recently ran a seminar on ROWIP consultation. The documents from the event are:

Report on 'Use and Demand for Rights of Way'

In 2000 the Countryside Agency commissioned a report on 'Use and Demand for Rights of Way' (see Revised use and demand report or research note)

The first part sets out some key national statistics from an earlier study by the Countryside Agency on use and demand for rights of way, together with information on the specific needs of different types of path user derived from focus groups held in connection with both national and local studies. The second part looks in more detail at the different survey methods that can be used by an authority to assess use and demand in its own area. It gives advice on:

  • the strengths and weaknesses of questionnaire surveys and focus groups
  • commissioning both types of survey
  • the special methods which may be needed to survey use and demand where the network is in a popular holiday or tourism area
  • how to draw together what is known already about the local path network to make sure any further research asks the right questions.

Examples of a questionnaire used in a typical household survey and the script used to lead a focus group discussion are also given.

Assessing the use of, and demand for, the local path network

It is important that an authority's ROWIP is based on an accurate and unbiased picture of the actual use of, and potential demand for, its local path network. Some information about the use being made of the network together with suggestions for improvements will, of course, come from the views put forward by path user groups, parish councils and other local groups and individuals. Experience has shown that, no matter how well the authority thought that it already understood local use and demand for its path network, it is worthwhile carrying out some form of independent assessment.

Carrying out a proper survey of use and demand will give a statistically reliable picture, enable the authority to fully appreciate the needs and views of all those who use the path network, including "ordinary" path users - not just those who are skilled at lobbying or who shout the loudest (Consultation). It will also help to gauge the level of latent demand from those who are currently unable to use the path network but would like to do so if the barriers to their participation could be removed. The features of the network that people particularly appreciate, the difficulties they encounter, how local patterns of use differ from the national picture, and the economic value path users bring to an area are among the other aspects of use and demand that can be explored in a properly structured survey.

Ensuring that a survey is designed, carried out and analysed to produce reliable information is a skilled job, but most authorities have their own survey or intelligence unit who will be able to give advice and guidance. They may even be able to help by designing and carrying out a use and demand survey in-house as part of the authority's own regular survey programme, or arranging to have key issues relating to the improvement plan discussed by the authority's own people's panel. The Countryside and Rights of Way survey) carried out by Cheshire's Research and Intelligence Unit, and York's TalkAbout Survey (which was designed to test a method of assessing the path network) are examples of such surveys carried out by two of the demonstration authorities own intelligence units at no cost to the rights of way budget.

Survey methods

The two main survey methods that can be used to assess local use and demand are large-scale questionnaire surveys and focus groups. These and the other relevant survey methods that might be used in ROWIP assessments are explained in more detail in Consultation Techniques.

Reports on Demand for Access

CRN 93 - Demand for outdoor recreation in the English National Parks

This document is a summary report of research commissioned by the Countryside Agency. This research investigated the demand for outdoor recreation in English National Parks and explored the capacity of National Parks for meeting that demand.

[Example demand assessment questionnaire http://www.iprow.co.uk/docs/uploads/example.of.demand.assessment.questionnaire.pdf].

Retrieved from "http://www.iprow.co.uk/gpg/index.php/ROWIP_Consultation"
Personal tools