The Buckinghamshire Local Access Forum was scheduled to meet to discuss suitable alternative natural greenspaces, the 'Not Bourne Yesterday' programme, and a public spaces protection order. The forum was also scheduled to discuss promoted route surveys, East West Rail, and a rights of way group update.

Rights of Way Group Update

Claire Hudson, Definitive Map and Highways Searches Team Leader; Jonathan Clark, Senior Strategic Access Officer; and Joanne Taylor, Rights of Way Operations Team Leader, were scheduled to provide an update on the Rights of Way Group.

The report pack included details of Definitive Map Modification Order (DMMO) matters that had been previously determined and were under investigation. These included:

• An application to add a public footpath to the definitive map between Pinewood Road and Public Footpath No. 93 in High Wycombe, which had been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) following objections.
• An investigation clarifying the status of a disputed route in Bledlow-cum-Saunderton (North Mill Road), where a public inquiry was scheduled for March 2026 following objections.
• An application to record various routes in the field adjacent to Public Footpath No. 8 and Public Bridleway No. 6, in Hazlemere as public footpaths. An order was made and advertised, and was scheduled to be confirmed.
• An application to upgrade Public Footpath No. 5 (part) to Public Bridleway and add a route which connects with No.5 as Public Bridleway in Leckhampstead. The application was received in June 2016 and investigated by an external consultant, and a decision was made and scheduled to be advertised.
• An application to add routes to the Definitive Map at East Wood in Stokenchurch. The application was accepted, and an order was scheduled to be made.
• An application to add a route to the Definitive Map between Public Footpath No. 36 and No. 44 in Penn. The application was under investigation, and a decision report was being drafted.
• An application to register a circular footpath off Stoney Lane in Little Missenden. The application was accepted due to a threat of development, and an order was made and advertised. Objections were received and the application was referred to PINS.
• Applications to add public footpaths along the A404, around Roach Lane, along Crowne Plaza, and west of Westhorpe in Little Marlow and Marlow. These applications were all under investigation.
• An application to upgrade footpath no. 20 to public bridleway in Little Marlow, which was under investigation.
• A claimed Restricted Byway and Upgrading to a Restricted Byway, Moreton Road to Moreton Lane in Dinton with Ford and Upton. The application was received in August 2021 and a decision report was with Legal due to a threat of development.
• A Claimed Footpath off Pednor Road in Chesham. The application was accepted, and an order was scheduled to be made.
• Applications to add public footpaths between Hawleys Lane and public footpath No. 54, from Glebe Field to Church Yard, east of White Horse Lane, and between public footpath No. 33 & 26 in Whitchurch. Decision reports were scheduled to be checked or drafted.
• An application to investigate the alignment of public footpath No. 52 in Bledlow, which was under investigation.
• An application to add a Public Footpath to the Definitive Map between Whaddon Hall and Public Footpath No.6 in Whaddon, which was under investigation.
• An application to add a Public Bridleway to the Definitive Map following the dismantled railway walk from the A421 to Tingewick Road in Buckingham. A decision report was scheduled to be drafted.

The report pack also detailed Definitive Map Applications that were scheduled to be investigated within the next 12 months, including an application to add a Public Footpath to the Definitive Map at Windmill Farm in Chalfont St Peter.

The report pack also listed Definitive Map Applications waiting to be investigated as per the Statement of Priority - User Evidence, and Definitive Map Applications waiting to be investigated as per the Statement of Priority - Historic Evidence. These included applications in Chesham, Denham, Waddesdon, Dinton with Ford and Upton, Great Marlow, Little Missenden, Radnage, Weedon, Latimer, Marlow, North Marston, Wooburn, Penn, Lacey Green, Wingrave with Rowsham, Seer Green, Hughenden, and Lane End.

The report pack also included a summary of Public Path Orders (PPO) and their current status, including applications for extinguishment, diversion, and creation of footpaths and bridleways in various locations.

The report pack also included updates on strategic access initiatives, including the Great Missenden to Wendover Greenway Cycleway¹, the Donate-a-Gate [Chilterns] project, the Heathrow Expansion consultation, and the Local Transport Plan 5 [2025-2040]. The report pack also included information on the Rights of Way Operations, including the current staff structure, work crews, summer/winter clearance, and capital projects for 2024/2025 and 2025/2026.

The report pack also noted the closure on Ashford Lane bridge Jubilee crossing, surface and bridge works, and the Thames Path - Great Marlow public footpath 1-Temple Footbridge.

Finally, the report pack mentioned a new link between Fix My Street and CAMs Web reporting systems, and provided links to the Fix My Street Bucks and CAMs Web RoW Map and reporting page websites.

Promoted Route Surveys

Jonathan Clark, Senior Strategic Access Officer, James Spratley, Strategic Access Officer, Trevor Jones, Ramblers Association, and Andrew Clark, Chiltern Society, were scheduled to discuss the promoted routes survey. The survey had encountered problems with route-finding and route descriptions being out of date. A face-to-face discussion was scheduled to agree on a way forward and standardise information being collected for the revised leaflets.

Following a meeting, James Spratley and Jonathan Clark endeavoured to learn what was possible to display on the Buckinghamshire Council website and in what format. They also felt that it would be useful to have accurate GPS trails of promoted routes available for the public to download on popular websites and apps.

A meeting was held with the IT Team to discuss the questions they had. It was established that the Buckinghamshire Council website was capable of organising information in a sortable format to filter types of walks and rides, and that hosting GPS routes (.GPX Files) for people to download was straightforward. An application for official accounts on Strava, AllTrails, and Outdoor Active was submitted and was pending approval.

Alongside James Spratley, Andrew Clark, and Trevor Jones, there were three other surveyors, two taking advantage of paid leave to undertake volunteering through their employer. One of the main successes had been reporting issues on the council's online reporting page, so maintenance matters could be addressed.

The report pack noted the progress of several routes:

• Cross Bucks Way – adopted by the LDWA with a full recce completed and GPX track recorded with a diversion for HS2 workings.
• Brill promoted route - surveyed by Andrew Clark on 16th September 2025
• Chiltern Link – surveyed by Claire Jones
• Chiltern Heritage Trail – surveyed by Claire Jones
• Two Ridges Link – surveyed by James Spratley on 2nd October 2025
• Beeches Way – completed by Claire Jones
• Thame Valley Way - completed by Claire Jones
• Hedgerley Promoted Route – surveyed by Andrew Clark on 27th July 2025
• South Bucks Way – surveyed by Ben Newport on 19th August 2025
• North Bucks Way - first stage completed by Corey Dowden in August 2025
• Chess Valley Walk – James Spratley – TBC. Updated route now available on Buckinghamshire Council Website.

Of the 10 routes walked, problems were found on all of them, such as being impassable due to overgrowth or faded signposts.

A second meeting with Andrew Clark and James Spratley took place on Friday 10th October 2025 at Walton Street, Aylesbury.

Andrew Clark's main concern was defining a promoted route. He noted that there were 80 routes advertised on the Buckinghamshire Council website with very limited information of any use, and that the Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) talked about '37 County Council Promoted Routes' but did not itemise them in the document.

James Spratley was able to demonstrate what work had been done since the previous meeting. A web page had been mocked up and was currently only accessible with a password. Two GPS trails that had been produced by James Spratley had been uploaded and were in a format to download onto smartphones or other devices.

Trevor Jones submitted some additional feedback and suggestions from his work to survey these routes. He noted that one persistent problem he was having was that many of the CAMS issues were very old, and that when he discusses them with a ROW Officer a common response is that they will need to check whether it is still an issue as it is unclear after up to 5 years whether the problem persists.

The LAF was scheduled to be consulted on the following questions:

1. What should the criteria be for a Promoted Route?
2. What wider benefits do promoted routes bring to the local area?
3. How many should we promote?
4. Which routes should we promote?
5. How could we keep on top of maintenance of these routes?
6. Any other feedback?
7. What should we do with the feedback?

The next steps were scheduled to be:

• Create an official presence on the walking and riding apps once permission secured, and start advertising routes
• Establish a definitive list of Promoted Routes and have all routes available to download.
• Establish a maintenance plan
• Begin collating information that could be used in filters to make the web page less cluttered.
• ROWIP Years 2-5 review to be completed, to include a section explaining this work.

Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace [SANG]

Aude Pantel, Principal Planning Policy Officer, and Sally Ovens, Planning Policy Team Leader, Buckinghamshire Council, were scheduled to discuss Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspaces (SANGs). SANGs are a type of mitigation measure designed to avoid recreational pressures from new developments on nationally protected habitat sites such as the Chilterns Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation [SAC].

The planning policy team were scheduled to help LAF members answer questions with a Buckinghamshire context, including:

1] Is there a reason for SANGS applications being in specific geographical locations? For example, Ivinghoe Aston, Pitstone, with others adjacent to development sites, e.g. land south of Stoke Mandeville train station; Hampden Fields, Aylesbury; and two in Little Chalfont.

2] Is there a local planning policy driving the increase in SANGS and who funds them?

4] Is there a policy to promote sustainable access to SANGS or do the council rely on sustainable transport policies in the National Planning Policy Framework [NPPF 2024] which emphase walking, cycling or catching the bus.

4] Is there a potential conflict between the obligation for SANGS to feel 'natural' [e.g. grass paths] vs provision of disabled access? Is there going to be an opportunity to contribute to local planning SANG policy with the new Buckinghamshire Local Plan?

'Not Bourne Yesterday'

Fran Crowther, Development Manager for Not Bourne Yesterday, Chilterns National Landscape, was scheduled to present about the 'Not Bourne Yesterday' programme, focusing on the access project. 'Not Bourne Yesterday' is a National Lottery Heritage Fund programme, hosted by the Chilterns National Landscape, that aims to reconnect and restore Chilterns chalk streams to their landscapes and to the communities that live beside them.

Public Spaces Protection Order [PSPO]

Jonathan Clark, Senior Strategic Access Officer, Buckinghamshire Council, was scheduled to provide an update on the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for West End Road, High Wycombe. The Leader of the Council had approved the extension of the PSPO, which members of the Local Access Forum were consulted on in July 2025. The extension was made under Section 59(2) of the Ant-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, extending the closure for a further three years commencing 3rd October 2025.

East West Rail

Jonathan Clark, Senior Strategic Access Officer, Buckinghamshire Council, was scheduled to provide an update on East West Rail. Glyn Thomas, Independent LAF member, wished to share correspondence with the local MP regarding the missing link to extend passenger services from Winslow to Aylesbury.