Date: 28 September 2007 08:30

ON PATH TO EASY WALKS IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE COUNTRYSIDE

A campaign to improve access to Cambridgeshire countryside has smashed tough 
Government agreed targets three years early.

 Cambridgeshire County Council countryside team has been working hardwith 
local landowners and improving grass cutting to improve the number of paths 
that are easy to use.

The latest survey shows more than 72 per cent of paths were easy to use 
compared with 60 per cent last year. The County Council has atarget of 70 
per cent for the year 2009/10 and this year's target of 62.5 per cent was 
well and truly broken.

The County Council sees its role to look after nearly 1,900 miles ofrights 
of way as vital to encouraging more people to enjoy the local countryside 
and improve the health of residents.

For the first time grass and vegetation cutting will be carried outthree 
times this year with an early cut having been made. The Countryside Services 
Team has also been in touch with landowners to remind them to keep their 
paths clear, especially those which cross a field with crops in.

This is part of a wider programme of improvements to the County's rights of 
ways including new gates and rediscovering lost paths. However, keeping 
paths free is a constant job and the County Council will look at further 
ways of improving access.

Kate Day, Countryside Services Team Leader for Cambridgeshire County 
Council, said: "Improving access to Cambridgeshire's countryside is very 
important to us and we are pleased that we have not only improved on where 
we were last year but beaten these tough figures agreed by Government. This 
is mainly due to improving grass cutting and vegetation clearing as well as 
working in partnership with landowners and Parish councils. Walking is a 
very popular past time and Cambridgeshire's beautiful countryside is the 
perfect place to get out and about. However, nature never stops and 
improving access to the paths and clearing vegetation is an all year 
challenge. We know there are areas that need improving or are still 
overgrown and we will continue to clear those."

John Reynolds