Whose Job to Protect Paths?

This post is prompted by this not unexpected observation.

At least one horse rider has decided that the fine terrace path above Blacka Dyke can be used for  riding. After all cyclists are now using it and have already changed the surface considerably since they've been doings so and also changing its previous character. It's well on the way to becoming as bad as the Devils Elbow route and the Wimble Holme Hill route which means eventually serious intervention comes and we say goodbye to one of its main features, its humble  informal attractiveness.

Blacka Moor is not the Lake District where paths are under severe pressure from huge numbers of tourists and fell baggers who've come from all over Britain and foreign parts. Blacka is off the main tourist trail but has problems of its own that responsible agencies are bent on ignoring.

Blacka's  paths are in various categories, bridleways including some long established historic routes, newer bridleways created in the last century, public footpaths (PRoWs officially designated), unofficial paths, or 'desire lines', and finally wildlife routes such as deer tracks.

In the Lakes a lot of the erosion caused by vast numbers of visitors has been repaired by teams from the National Park and the National Trust. There are mixed views on this work. Many would have wished the paths had stayed as they were 70 years ago which would only  have happened with fewer visitors. Even the harder volcanic rocks can't resist the constant pressures.

Blacka's visitors in number are tiny compared with the Lake District. But paths are under pressure just as great. Why? And who should sort it out?

It seems to be a matter for the Highways Authority. The responsibility of the National Park and the leaseholder Sheffield Wildlife Trust is less clear. Comparison with the Lakes raises questions. Sitting in the Sheffield Highways Authority is the Public Rights of Way Office. So can we claim they're responsible? Well the PRoW people are not responsible for maintaining land that goes beyond the statutory width of a path or bridleway. So that must be the landowner's responsibility - in this case our friends at SWT.