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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding has been available for the maintenance of long-distance trails in each of the last four years; what estimate she has made of the cost per kilometre of (a) restoring and (b) maintaining long-distance trails; and what budget is available for the repair and maintenance of the Ridgeway. [85213] Alun Michael: Through the Countryside Agency DEFRA funds 75 per cent. of the cost of maintaining National Trails. The other 25% is funded by the highway authorities. The Countryside Agency states that their funding has been as follows for established National Trails: (£) _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 Maintenance 1,800,000 1,951,000 911,000 900,000 1,300,000 Maintenance plus salaries, 2,204,000 2,223,000 1,176,000 1,170,000 1,580,000 support and marketing _________________________________________________________________________________________________. a) There are no specific restoration costs per kilometre available. b) The average maintenance costs per kilometre of each National Trail are as follows, although again there are major variations in the work needed: (£) _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Maintenance materials only plus salaries and overheads etc Pennine Way 383 641 Cleveland Way 310 606 Offa's Dyke Path 88 143 South Downs Way 396 741 South West Coast Path 516 719 Ridgeway/Thames Path 110 536 North Downs Way 153 368 Wolds Way 191 346 Peddar's Way/Norfolk Coast Path 288 450 Average 271 505 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. In the case of Offa's Dyke Path the figures are for the English element of the Trail and the rest of the funding comes from Countryside Council for Wales. Thames Path and Ridgeway figures are combined due to joint management structures. This year the Ridgeway/ Thames Path have received £203,705 via the Countryside Agency and £53,460 from highway authorities. This figure includes all maintenance costs and salaries.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

396 c24W; 85213

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Costs Countryside Expenditure Public footpaths Rights of way Repairs and maintenance Walking

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk