Lancashire's Lost Ways Project
18th of July, 2020
Do you enjoy researching old maps?
Lancashire Local Access Forum is looking for volunteers who could research/identify Lancashire's lost public rights of way.
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW) proposes that all unrecorded footpaths and bridleways cannot be recorded on the Definitive Map and Statement after 1 January 2026 and the rights over them will be lost.Lancashire Local Access Forum wants to ensure worthwhi le public rights of way currently unrecorded will not be lost at the 2026 cut-off and your help is, therefore, required to identify these unrecorded worthwhile public rights of way.
Lancashire has 5,544 kilometres of public rights of way and this project can be achieved by harnessing the enthusiasm of network user groups, the expertise of local knowledge to identify previously unrecorded public rights of way where it matters to the community.
As a volunteer in this you will search the records for good evidence of public rights of way in your local parish(es) or town which are not currently recorded on the Definitive Map and Statement. The next stage is to consider which of those routes might be worthwhile now, or in the foreseeable future, for public benefit, especially those which provide missing links in the network lead into the countryside from residential areas or bypass busy roads.
Together we can then start the process to have them legally recognised and safeguarded for future generations.
If you would like to register your interest in this scheme please email Linda Andersen (Linda.Andersen@lancashire.gov.uk) with the following information:
Name
Address
Contact telephone number
Location Parish