Sedgefield Borough Council plans to turn a circular bridleway, which runs for about two miles around Woodham, Newton Aycliffe, into a public right of way.
But only a small section running through the residential areas of Woodham has actually been dedicated as a public bridleway.
A report to Sedgefield Borough Council said: "The remainder of the bridleway is not recorded on the definitive map as a public right of way and therefore Durham County Council does not carry out any maintenance works on the route."
The council has now dedicated two more sections of the route as public rights of way.
Other parts of the bridleway run through privately owned land. The council is liaising with the landowners who must agree to formally dedicate the bridleway and associated footpath as public rights of way for them to appear on the definitive map.
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