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West Dunbartonshire Proposed Draft Core Paths Plan Public Consultation

The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 came into effect in February 2005 and provides everyone with statutory access rights to most land and inland water for recreation and passage as well as for eductional and some commercial purposes. These access rights are only available if they are exercised reponsibly by respecting people’s privacy, safety, livelihoods and the environment. Land managers must also manage their land responsibly in relation to access rights.

 

Although the Act provides a right of responsible access to the countryside, it is recognised that most people like to use paths.

 

The Act also places various statutory duties on Local Authorities, including the development of a Core Paths Plan which will provide a basic framework of paths sufficient for the purpose of giving the public reasonable access throughout the area.

What is a Core Path?

Core paths are paths or other routes, including waterways, which facilitate access rights under the Act. They will provide a basic framework of paths which will link in to and support the wider path network in West Dunbartonshire. To achieve this, the core path network will consist mostly of existing paths and some new paths.

 

Core paths can be existing Rights of Way (note that not all Rights of Way will become core paths), minor roads, paths, footways or footpaths, canals or rivers.


The core paths network will provide opportunities for community interaction as well as help the people of West Dunbartonshire to lead healthier lifestyles. The core paths network will also help to achieve the vision for outdoor access in West Dunbartonshire :

 

‘The consolidation, development and management of a sustainable access network in West Dunbartonshire, in balance with the needs of sustainable land management and the needs of communities’

Cyclists, Horse-riders and Canoeist
Developing the Core Paths Plan

West Dunbartonshire Council have previously undertaken a series of public consultations which highlighed a network of paths and routes which should be considered as core paths. Additional paths were added to this network to provide a basic framework of core paths for West Dunbartonshire.


Note that the West Dunbartonshire Council Core Paths Plan excludes the area within the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Access matters within the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park are managed by the National Park Authority.


The West Dunbartonshire Local Access Forum agreed a set of selection criteria which were applied to all of the proposed core paths to ensure they fulfilled the basic requirements of a core path. Paths should meet a number of these criteria before they can be considered as proposed draft core paths.

Agreed selection criteria :-

  • The path provides a strategic link between communities

  • The path provides a route to local facilities (shops, schools etc) and public transport

  • The path provides a safe route for commuting

  • The path allows access to sites of conservation or historic interest

  • The path provides access from the urban area to the countryside

  • The path provides opportunites for sustainable economic development, eg tourism

  • The path is locally important/well used

  • The path links to the wider path network

  • The path provides opportunities for recreation and healthy lifestyles

  • The path can be used by a variety of users of all ages - eg walkers, horses, cyclists, disabled

  • The path integrates access and land management.

Managing and maintaining the core paths network

As with existing Rights of Way, there is no legal obligation on land owners or Local Authorities to maintain or improve any core paths, however many will already be maintained by, for example, West Dunbartonshire Council, the Forestry Commission, other organisations or land owners. The Scottish Government have indicated that they expect a core path to be signposted at key access points, all boundary crossings and that paths should be accessible for all legitimate users.