Draft Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2026-36

In an increasingly sedentary and digital world, it has never been more important for people to access our wonderful greenspaces to walk, wheel, cycle and horse ride. The Public Rights of Way and wider countryside access paths are the vital network that enables so many of our active travel and outdoor leisure pursuits to take place.

Therefore, this network plays a fundamental role in the wellbeing of our residents, the connectivity of our communities and in the appeal to our visitors. The value in maintaining, improving and promoting them is therefore abundantly clear and highly important, both to achieve our vision for Cheshire East and to improve all our daily lives.

Access to the countryside and open spaces is widely acknowledged as a significant contributor to physical and mental wellbeing. Public Rights of Way play a large part in facilitating this, and maintaining, improving, and developing the network is of major importance so that as many people as possible are encouraged to, and are able to, access the countryside.

Cheshire East is fortunate in having an extensive and well maintained network. However increased demand, the effects of climate change, and financial constraints, mean that the Rights of Way Improvement Plan is more important than ever. The plan will allow resources to be focussed on where they can be used most advantageously to make improvements.

Cheshire East Local Access Forum is committed to using its influence in a constructive manner to help in developing and expanding access so that everyone is able to enjoy the countryside.

Maurice Palin

Chair of Cheshire East Countryside Access Forum, a statutory body providing advice on access to the countryside.