§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made for each relevant local authority in England of the number and length of bridleways(a) recorded on the definitive map, (b) under consideration for registration on the definitive map and (c) eligible for consideration for registration. [25324]
§ Angela EagleInformation is available only on the length of bridleways, as follows:
320W
Highway authority Bridleways (km) Avon 200 Bedfordshire 1,400 Berkshire 260 Bolton 2 Buckinghamshire 649 Calderdale — Cambridgeshire 430 Cheshire 124 Cleveland 200 Cornwall 522 Cumbria 1,878 Derbyshire 494 Devon 570 Dorset 1,600 Durham 573 East Sussex 678 Enfield — Essex 680 Gloucestershire 360 Hampshire 850 Herefordshire 358 Worcestershire 648 Harrow — Hertfordshire 576 Humberside 453 Isle of Wight 266 Kent 694 Kingston on Thames — Kirklees — Lancashire 388 Leeds 148 Leicestershire 584 Lincolnshire 770
Highway authority Bridleways (km) Norfolk 443 Northamptonshire 600 Northumberland 1,295 North Yorkshire 1,609 Nottingham 799 Oxfordshire 970 Shropshire 795 Solihull 7 Somerset 927 Staffordshire 355 Suffolk 553 Surrey 1,045 Tameside 6 Warwickshire 460 Waltham Forest — West Sussex 1,006 Wiltshire 1,540 Wirral MBC 30 28,795 Total (17,882 miles) Countryside Commission data from 1991 and 1996 surveys; data for Cambridgeshire and Dorset are for 1998.
§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what level of funding he has allocated to(a) the maintenance of existing bridleways and (b) the creation of new bridleways and new bridleway links; and if he will make a statement. [25321]
§ Angela EagleA specific figure for the funding of the bridleway network is not available. Revenue expenditure for local authorities on public rights of way, including bridleways, is taken into account in the calculation of local authorities' standard spending assessments (SSAs), as used in the distribution of revenue support grant. It is not covered by a distinct SSA component, but is included together with expenditure on many other services within the district level sub-block—"All Other Services".
§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made on modification of the definitive map of bridleways; when this is planned to be completed; and if he will make a statement. [25323]
§ Angela EagleThe Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 requires highway authorities to prepare and maintain a definitive map for their areas, showing all classes of public rights of way, including bridleways. They must keep their definitive maps under continuous review and modify them when appropriate.