PUBLIC paths in the Yorkshire Dales National Park are to be upgraded to enable greater ‘ease of use’, however the work is expected to take up to five years.

This year’s report from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority highlighted that the paths that fall within the new boundaries of the park - which were established in August 2016 - are not up to standard.

It found that only 82 per cent of public rights of way within the park boundaries fit the criteria for being easy to use. The target is 90 per cent, which it was between 2012 and 2017..

The YDNPA said in its report: “Based on the current resources available we aim to have the ‘ease of use’ figure for the whole National Park up to 90 per cent in five year’s time.

‘Ease of use’ in this context is based on a nationally established performance indicator for rights of way and is defined as:

l Signposted or waymarked where the right of way leaves the metalled road and to the extent necessary to allow users to follow the path;

l Free from unlawful obstructions and other interference, (including overhanging vegetation);

l Surface and lawful barriers (e.g. stiles, gates) in good repair and to a standard necessary to enable the public to use the way without undue inconvenience.

In simple terms, a member of the public should be able to follow a route easily and not encounter anything that detracts from the enjoyment of the route whether on foot, horse, bicycle or using a mobility aid.

The YDNPA explained that the recent decline in the average ‘ease of use’ of pathways in the park is in part due to the fact that this year nearly 6km of bridleway in Swaledale being obstructed by a landslide.