Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will extend the 2026 deadline to record historic footpaths and bridleways onto Definitive Maps.

Defra intends to pass legislation this year to streamline the processes for recording and changing rights of way. This will make it easier and quicker for local authorities to process applications and add rights of way onto the definitive maps, protecting them for the future. As part of this we will bring into force the cut-off date which is the deadline for registering historic rights of way. This will provide certainty about where rights of way exist.

The cut-off date is currently 2026 and could be extended by regulations for a maximum of five years. An earlier cut-off date will provide certainty on where rights of way exist for both users and landowners. A later cut-off date would allow more time for unrecorded rights of way to be recorded. Defra is working closely with stakeholders to understand these different views and will take them into account when reaching a decision.