Local authorities outside London have wide-ranging powers under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to make Traffic Regulation Orders to restrict or prohibit footway parking on designated lengths of highway or over a wide area. These restrictions will be shown to drivers using traffic signs and may be enforced by issuing Penalty Charge Notices. Local authorities may also use high kerbs or bollards physically to prevent cars mounting the pavement.

The Department for Transport does not hold this detailed information. However, I understand from Network Rail (NR) that the Crockenhill footbridge was inspected and found to be in a dangerous and unsafe condition and has been closed since September 2017. NR has put together a plan to see this old bridge removed and a new one installed by the end of this financial year. However this schedule is dependent on agreement of third parties whose co-operation is required to carry out both the removal of the old bridge and the installation of the new one. Providing NR can resolve these matters successfully, they expect to be able to confirm the timescales for the replacement of the bridge before the end of 2018.

The National Pollinator Strategy already includes commitments to improve, extend and connect pollinator habitats. For example, in 2015 we introduced a Pollinator and Wildlife Package to the Countryside Stewardship Scheme to provide a suite of habitats on farmland. Since 2011, management has been established on approximately 130,000 hectares of land to create new wildlife-rich habitat, principally through agri-environment schemes.

The 25 Year Environment Plan reaffirms the Government’s commitment to expanding and connecting wildlife habitats through a Nature Recovery Network, which will drive how we deliver action for bees and other wildlife in the future.

Mapping and high quality spatial information on the location and quality of existing habitats will be key to this. On 25 October, the Secretary of State announced new funding to develop and test pollinator habitat mapping and to help voluntary bodies and land managers to create pollinator-friendly landscapes.

In England, the cornerstone of future agriculture policy will be the payment of public money for environmental public goods. The Agriculture Bill includes public access in the list of purposes that the Secretary of State may pay for in the future. Paths that provide access to farmers’ land enable people to access and spend time in the natural environment. Infrastructure is required for recreational walking, cycling and horse-riding and providing access to greenspace and countryside for disabled people. This is important for maintaining and improving physical and mental health and wellbeing and therefore provides public benefits.

There are a number of requirements relating to Public Rights of Way that are currently set out in legislation across the UK. We expect land managers to comply with these regulatory obligations, irrespective of whether financial assistance is to be received or not. As we leave the EU we will be assessing how best to deliver outcomes, including through regulation, enforcement and incentives.

Public rights of way are a local matter and are handled by individual local highway authorities.

It is up to local authorities to assess the quality of the rights of way network in their area and perform maintenance accordingly. They are also required to keep a Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) to plan improvements to their network, which is usually available on the authority’s website. I would hope local authorities, whenever possible, would look at the needs of all users, including walkers, cyclists and horse-riders.

College Green is owned by the House of Commons, with access to it controlled by Black Rod, or the Yeoman Usher acting as Black Rod’s deputy, on behalf of the House of Commons. I have not therefore made any representations to Westminster City Council about ensuring members of the House of Lords have access to the footpath across College Green.

Under the national trails 'New Deal' funding formula, Natural England provides funds for the maintenance of national trails, including new England coast path stretches as they commence. In 2018/19 this amounts to £1.81 million.

For 2018/19, the Pennine Way will receive a total allocation of £199,253 which will be matched locally at a minimum ratio of 3:1 (national:local), so the total amount available will be a minimum of £265,671.

Local highway authorities are responsible for the maintenance of public rights of way. The Revenue Support Grant (RSG) is the support provided to local authorities from central government to deliver various duties, including maintenance. The RSG is managed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

It is not ring-fenced so it is for local authorities to manage and decide how to spend their own budgets.

Discussions between Natural England and the trails partnerships on their future funding settlements are ongoing. These discussions are in the context of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act Committee’s recommendation to move towards a more sustainable funding model in the long term whilst maintaining a high quality experience for the user.

Significant portions of existing national trails fall within boundaries of existing national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty. These important assets can expect to receive attention through the Glover Review, which will enable all stakeholders to express their views on the future of these places.

Since 2013 the promotion of national trails and the ‘acorn’ (registered trademark) has been carried out by Walk Unlimited, a social enterprise, which champions the network through its website www.nationaltrail.co.uk. It works with the individual trail partnerships who remain responsible for providing information on their trail to the national site and for local promotion. Natural England also encourages individual trail partnerships and the emerging England Coast Path partners to consider promotion of both the individual trails and stretches of those trails and the promotion of the family of national trails.

The most recent estimate from 2013 is that at least 70 million visits are made each year to places passed through by a national trail.

The England Coast Path Establishment Fund was set up in April with funds from the Rural Development Fund for England. It will provide grants from 2018/19 onwards. No grants have been paid by the fund to date.

The Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy Safety Review: Call for Evidence was published on 9 March 2018 and will close on 1 June 2018. The Department for Transport intends to publish a summary of responses and next steps in the Autumn.

The current dangerous and careless cycling offences apply to the road. This includes the pavement.

Last year the Government announced a cycle safety review consisting of two phases. The first part of the review considers the case for creating a new offence similar to that of causing death or serious injury by careless or dangerous driving, to help protect both cyclists and pedestrians. This is the focus of an independent legal report which was published on 9 March. The Department will issue a response to that report in due course.

The independent legal report is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycle-safety-review

Funding for the maintenance of the England Coast Path will be in line with the National Funding Formula for National Trails as the new access rights come into force on stretches of the path.

Natural England has written to each of the National Trail Partnerships to let them know that it will be funding the existing National Trails in 2018/19 at the same level of funding as in 2017/18.

Business planning and financial allocations have not yet been completed and we are therefore not yet in a position to announce the future level of funding until 2021 for the 13 national trails.

Natural England wrote to each of the national trail partnerships last December making an interim offer of 50% of the funding made to each of the national trails in 2017/18. The offer was an advance contribution towards the costs the partnerships would incur in 2018/19 in the absence of Natural England being able to confirm its overall funding position for 2018/19.

Business planning and financial allocations have not yet been completed and we are therefore not yet in a position to announce the future level of funding until 2021 for the 13 national trails.

Natural England wrote to each of the national trail partnerships last December making an interim offer of 50% of the funding made to each of the national trails in 2017/18. The offer was an advance contribution towards the costs the partnerships would incur in 2018/19 in the absence of Natural England being able to confirm its overall funding position for 2018/19.

Business planning and financial allocations have not yet been completed and Natural England is not yet in a position to announce the level of funding for the South West Coast Path national trail for 2018/19.

Natural England wrote to each of the national trail partnerships last December making an interim offer of 50% of the funding made to each of the national trails in 2017/18. The offer was an advance contribution towards the costs the partnerships would incur in 2018/19 in the absence of Natural England being able to confirm its overall funding position for 2018/19.

Pursuant to my answer of 29 December 2017, business planning and financial allocations for 2018/19 have not yet been completed, and Natural England is not yet in a position to announce the allocation of funding for national trails for 2018/19.