Anger at 20-year wait for right of way

A report to go before the county council's ruling Cabinet this week said it would take until 2020 before all public footpaths and byways were open unless the authority was given more cash.

Countryside watchdogs told all councils that public footpaths, bridleways and byways should be legally defined, properly maintained and publicised by this year.

The county council report said more than 70 of East Sussex's paths still need repairs and reaching the Countryside Agency's target before the end of the year would cost an estimated £2.1 million.

Many more public footpaths and byways have been blocked by landowners, or are difficult to use because of obstacles.

The report stated: "If existing resources are not improved and public expectation continues to grow, there is no possibility of approaching the Countryside Agency's goal within the next 20 years."

Mike Rumble, of the Sussex aea of the Ramblers' Association, said he recognised the council was short of cash, but the 20-year wait was unacceptable.

He said: "The Government has said it is a priority, via the Countryside Agency targets, and we think East Sussex ought to do more to bring that down to an acceptable level."

The council is responsible for 2,092 miles of footpaths, bridleways and byways - fractionally more mileage than the road net-work.

Councillors will be told that some 540 paths and byways are impassable because of obstacles, while another 850 have smaller obstacles making them difficult to use.

In one case, the council has ordered for obstacles blocking a footpath running past tycoon Nicholas Hoogstraten's Framfield mansion to be removed.

The move followed a well- publicised trespass and court case brought by the Ramblers' Association over the obstruction.

Only 70 per cent of the paths in the county are signposted where they leave the road and an estimated 4,750 more signs are needed for paths to be properly marked throughout their length.