Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins meets with ‘frustrated’ ramblers as Derbyshire footpaths blocked

MP Toby Perkins met with Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire Ramblers to discuss accessibility issues regarding Derbyshire foot pathsand bridleways.

The walking group is part of the national Ramblers organisation – a charity that promotes walking, campaigns for access for everyone to green spaces and to preserve rights of way.

Isobel McCormick, 61, the local group’s chairperson said: “We contacted Toby Perkins because we were concerned about the closure of two bridges in the Staveley area. We asked him for help in establishing why there is a delay in their reopening. We later met with him to discuss other problems with local footpaths.”

On Friday, the group organised a walk with the MP to illustrate their concerns. During a short hike they encountered a path with a broken stile, barbed wire encroaching on the foot path, a tree laying across and overgrown vegetation on the foot way.

Isobel said: “The same problems have been reported for years, and nothing seems to change. We went to Slate Pit Dale where paths been very previously overgrown then, following complaints, had been repaired at considerable expense by Derbyshire County Council. But now they are overgrown again and the surface is breaking up.This seems a poor use of council taxpayers’ money.”

Maintenance of Rights of Way is the responsibility of the landowner whose land the footpath runs across. Derbyshire County Council is the body to which anyone can report obstructions or dangers on footpaths and bridleways.

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The council should then contact the landowner and ensure that the obstruction or danger is removed. The type of problems that can arise are lack of signs, broken stiles, broken bridges, barbed wire, locked gates and fallen trees.

Additionally, routes can be blocked by the ploughing and cropping of fields. After a field has been planted with a crop the route of a path or bridleway should be reinstated so that it is clearly visible and easy for a walker or rider to follow.

Isobel said: “Council is spending money, repairing paths, and then not maintaining them, so effectively, they throw away money, because paths go back to the condition they were in previously. In the past Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire Ramblers used to help with the repair and installation of gates and the clearing of paths. This free labour saved the council money but in recent years they have declined the help of volunteers.”

Toby Perkins said: “Derbyshire is a very attractive place to walk. We have a lot of tourist revenue. As a result we have walkers, ramblers and hikers coming to Derbyshire. We need the county council and landowners to comply with the legislation so that it continues to be an attractive place for walkers and for local residents and tourists.”

Isobel added: “Ramblers enjoy walking as a leisure activity, but rights of way are important for everyone. Walking is a cheap form of exercise that benefits physical and mental health. People who walk are happier and live longer. Additionally, rights of way allow people to travel on foot, bicycle or horse, reducing the uses of cars, reducing pollution and helping achieve net zero.”