Nearly 8,000 requests to get public paths added to an official map have not been processed.
Thousands of miles of footpaths could be lost due to a massive backlog in local councils dealing with applications, campaigners say.
But countryside campaigners are concerned the paperwork-heavy process is so slow that some paths may never be recorded. The data came from Freedom of Information requests to councils and national park authorities, along with details from applications published on council websites.Lincolnshire County Council had the most pending DMMO applications at 458, while the oldest applications date back to the 1980s.There were 4,308 DMMO applications during this period, yet only 1,156 of these were successfully determined, according to figures from 144 out of 156 public bodies.
She said farmers and landowners had to consider, "am I going to have to change the way that I'm doing things to fit in the path, or will I then have to go through another really expensive process to divert that route?".
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is accused of 'conning the British public' over plan to sell public...'Surplus' sites owned by the NHS , Ministry of Defence and Network Rail are all being considered for sale by Ms Reeves, it is understood, who accuse Tories of a 'cover up' in her keynote speech tomorrow.
Read more »
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is accused of 'conning the British public' over plan to sell public...'Surplus' sites owned by the NHS , Ministry of Defence and Network Rail are all being considered for sale by Ms Reeves, it is understood, who accuse Tories of a 'cover up' in her keynote speech tomorrow.
Read more »
Food hygiene ratings mapped: The areas with the worst inspection backlogsUnison, the public services union, has described the matter as 'a serious public health issue'
Read more »
Cumbria Police make 12 arrests in aftermath of recent disorder“The public will see a large police presence around the county today as we work to maintain public safety, allowing the law-abiding majority of the public to enjoy their weekend”
Read more »
Scots face energy costs soaring by nearly 10 per cent in run up to winterRegulator Ofgem will set out the latest changes to the energy price cap on Friday.
Read more »
Empty Lancs pub to be turned into shops and flats despite nearly 100 objectionsPlanners said there was 'little evidence' to suggest The Shake was 'highly-valued'
Read more »