Local walks, new opportunities for volunteers and better signs are included in a new plan designed to boost rights of way – and people are urged to have their say.
Leicestershire County Council is encouraging residents to complete a short survey about its 1,915-mile network of paths, used for activities such as walking, cycling and horse riding.
Earlier this year, over 1,000 people gave their views on how the network could be improved and these responses were used to inform the plan.
Council Leader Dan Harrison said: “We’d like to thank everyone who took the time to give us their views earlier this year. Your views have helped to inform this new plan, which includes establishing new ‘greenways’ (multi-purpose paths) as well as providing more easy access paths to better connect communities.
“Now we’re asking for you to spare a few minutes again, this time to let us know how you travel along our rights of way, what you think about the plan and if you feel there is anything else we could do to make improvements.”
People can view the council’s draft ‘Rights of Way Improvement Plan’ 2025-2035 and give their views via an online survey.
Events are also being held in Leicestershire libraries, where you can chat to experts and share your views in person. More information will be available soon on the above webpage.
The consultation is open until 14 August 2025.
Factfile
Every local authority responsible for a rights of way network must produce an improvement plan. Since the last plan was published in 2011, the county council has:
- Installed more than 1,700 new hand or kissing gates
- Removed over 1,500 old stiles
- Put up more than 15,000 ‘waymarker’ posts to show the way ahead
- Repainted more than 25,000 posts
- Made more than 10,000 visits to clear vegetation
- Strimmed more than 1,000 miles of paths