County Durham Countryside Access Survey

Background

The aim of this survey is to understand how local people and visitors to County Durham currently use the countryside access network, and what people’s future aspirations are. The network includes footpaths, bridleways, byways, Railway paths, Open Access and Common Land, and cycle paths. Information provided by you will be incorporated in the Rights of Way Improvement Plan, due out November 2007.

All information will be treated confidentially, and the survey should only take you 5 minutes to complete. All completed forms will be entered into our prize draw to win a full set of Ordnance Survey Maps for County Durham! If you wish to enter, you must leave us your contact details.

All forms to be submitted no later than 1st September 2006.

General questions

1. Name and contact details (optional - if left blank, please answer question 2 instead)

Name

Address

Email address

2. Where do you live (name of town or village)?

3. If you are a visitor to County Durham, where are you staying (name & type of accommodation and name of town or village e.g. County Hotel, Durham)?

4. Age
Under 18
18 - 30
30 - 45
45 - 60
60 or over

5. Gender (please tick)
Male
Female

6. Ethnic Origin

7. Do you consider yourself to have a disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005?
Yes
No

Current use of the Countryside Access Network

8. How often do you currently use the following (please tick all appropriate categories)?

Public Rights of Way (footpaths, bridleways and byways)	Daily Weekly Monthly Yearly Never
Cycle Tracks	Daily Weekly Monthly Yearly Never
Railway Paths	Daily Weekly Monthly Yearly Never
Country Parks	Daily Weekly Monthly Yearly Never
Open Access Land	Daily Weekly Monthly Yearly Never
Footways/verges/adjacent to highway	Daily Weekly Monthly Yearly Never

If you answered ‘never’ for all categories, please go to Question 13.

9. What is the main type of activity you do on these routes, and how often (please tick all appropriate categories) ?

Dog Walking	Daily Weekly Monthly Yearly Never
Recreational walking	Daily Weekly Monthly Yearly Never
Jogging / Training	Daily Weekly Monthly Yearly Never
Cycling	Daily Weekly Monthly Yearly Never
Horse Riding	Daily Weekly Monthly Yearly Never
Carriage Driving	Daily Weekly Monthly Yearly Never
Off road motor vehicle driving	Daily Weekly Monthly Yearly Never

10. What is the main reason for using these routes? (Please Tick One box only)

Exercise/Health
Relaxation/To unwind
To spot Wildlife/experience Nature
To see Heritage (e.g castles, villages, archaeology etc)
Exercise animal
To get to work
To get to school/college/university
Other (please specify below)

Other reason:

11. Where do you go for Countryside Recreation?
For recreational activities (cycling, riding, hiking etc), please tell us where in the County you tend to go? eg Hamsterley Forest, Upper Teesdale, Durham Coast etc. If you tend to use your local path network, please tell us where)

Satisfaction with the network

12. How satisfied are you with the following aspects of the Countryside Access Network?

Signposting	Very satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied
Surface condition	Very satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied
Condition of stiles, gates etc	Very satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied
Information on where to go	Very satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied
Way marking	Very satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied
Vegetation clearance	Very satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied
Crossing Points at Main roads	Very satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied

Reasons for not using the existing network

13. In your opinion, which 3 aspects of the list below most deter people from using the network? 1= first choice, 2 = second choice, 3 = third choice

Poor surface condition
Poor information and promotion of routes
Poor signing & way marking
Poor condition of gates and stiles
Fear of trespass/getting lost
Intimidated by farm animals
Antisocial/Illegal motorbike use
Barriers (eg locked gates, barbed wire)
Paths obstructed by crops

14. Are there any other reasons why you think people would not use the network? Please tell us below, or leave blank and move on to Question 15)

Future Demand

15. Is there a need to develop more routes for users?

Yes
No - the current network is adequate
No preference

16. If you answered 'yes' above, which 3 of the following type of routes would you most like to see? 1= first choice, 2 = second choice, 3 = third choice

	Long (2 miles +)	Short (2 miles or less)
Linear routes
Circular routes
Routes to local shops and services
Routes across farmland/open countryside
Footways adjacent to the Highway
Surfaced tracks (like the Railway Paths)
Routes to school/work
Routes with accompanying leaflet

17. Name one thing that you consider would most improve the Countryside Access Network

Click the "Submit Form" button below to send us your comments.

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