§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the footpaths and bridleways through harbours which have been closed in the last 10 years.
§ Mr. McLoughlinApart from applications (of which no central information is kept) from harbour authorities to the local highway authority for footpath or bridleway closures under the Highways Act 1980 and references in private Acts, provision has been made in two recent harbour revision orders, those for the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company in 1984 and for Blyth in 1989, for the stopping up of specific public rights of way and the provision of alternative public footpaths.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will require all details of footpaths and bridleways through trust ports to be stated in the objectives of the sales.
§ Mr. McLoughlinNo. Objectives of sale agreed between individual ports authorities and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State represent criteria which the authority will take into account when assessing competing bids for the port. It would be inappropriate for them to incorporate details of footpaths and bridleways through the port. The same procedures for the extinguishment of footpaths and bridleways will continue to apply following privatisation as before it.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether there is any requirement for a harbour authority to maintain for public inspection a map of footpaths and bridleways in the area of the harbour.
§ Mr. McLoughlinNo. It is the responsibility of the surveying authority (usually the county highway authority) to provide information about all public footpaths and bridleways in its area.