RAMBLERS were celebrating yesterday after North Yorkshire County Council unveiled a major policy change that could improve access to hundreds of popular walks.

The new policy means that landowners in the area - and not tax-payers - will have to pay the costs of re-routing public paths.

Officials say it should result in fewer diversions being in place, less confusion for the public and more staff time freed up for other important projects.

The Ramblers' Association, which long opposed the county council over the state of footpaths and bridleways on the dales and moors, has praised the latest breakthrough.

The new policy follows extensive consultation with various local organisations keen to see improvements to North Yorkshire's 9,000-km network of footpaths and public rights of way.

Coun John Fort, the authority's executive member for environmental services, said: "The new policy has been developed in consultation with North Yorkshire's Rights of Way Liaison Group and their comments are reflected in the finished document.

"This is just one of a number of council policies produced in relation to public rights of way. Council staff will attempt to negotiate alternative routes and help applicants to ensure that any applications meet the relevant criteria and are in the public interest."

In cases where there is no significant public benefit to a diversion order, the council will make the order providing the application meets the relevant legislation.

However, if objections are received and not withdrawn, the council will not support the application at any subsequent public inquiry, leaving the applicant to defend it.

Jacquetta Fewster of the Ramblers' Association said: "This new policy should be of enormous benefit to everyone using the many hundreds of miles of paths in North Yorkshire. It should mean fewer diversions and less confusion generally for the public.

"Where paths are moved the new route must meet the criteria of being an improvement for the public - and diversions will not be permitted if the path has been obstructed in the previous year."