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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to make it easier to create more routes (a) to and (b) through green spaces.

The Government recognises the importance of access to nature for health and wellbeing and is committed to making it easier for people to reach and enjoy green spaces.

We are delivering on our manifesto commitments by creating nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England, while also working with partners to develop further policies that improve access.

Key initiatives already underway include the King Charles III England Coast Path, which has over 2,600 miles approved, 1,855 miles already open, and is creating 250,000 hectares of new open access land. Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route has now been designated as a National Trail across northern England. The £33 million Access for All programme is actively improving inclusivity across trails, landscapes, forests, and the wider countryside. Additionally, the repeal of the cut-off date for registering historic rights of way is helping to protect hundreds of miles of paths for future generations.

Together, these actions are helping to create and retain routes to and through green spaces across the country.