FURTHER to the issuing of government guidance on foot-and-mouth disease precautions, Hampshire County Council has agreed a strategy for reopening many of its countryside paths following consultation with representatives of groups directly affected.
The county has been working with farmers and landowners and with local town and parish councils to identify paths away from livestock which meet specific criteria and which are therefore appropriate to reopen.
In addition, it has already identified a number of routes which will be reopened subject to a final inspection and notification being given to the farmers concerned.
Members of the public will be aware of paths being re-opened by the displaying of a green "Path Open" sign at the start of the each route, which will be accompanied by a Code of Conduct for users of the path. If no sign is displayed, the path must not be used.
According to a spokesperson for the county, as of Tuesday this week some 170 paths have been reopened - many of them in part only - with HCC rangers carrying out risk assessments on many more.
"It is a very fluid situation and is changing all the time," said the spokesperson.
While the reopening of some paths, particularly within village and town settings should help to make it easier for regular users, the county is keen to warn people to take care because many paths are not open along the full length and it remains an offence to walk on any path which is closed.
HCC is advising those who want to walk to visit the country parks. Other paths open include the Basingstoke Canal towpath, from Ash embankment to Greywell Tunnel, except for a short section at North Warnborough; the Blackwater Valley Trail, located in Aldershot/Farnborough; Hayling Bill Coastal Trail on Hayling Island which has views over Langstone Harbour and a section of the Test Way long-distance footpath between Stockbridge and Fullerton Station.
For further details you can log onto Hampshire County Council's web site on http://www.hants.gov.uk">www.hants.gov.uk