A two-mile section of the former Salisbury to Wimborne railway line will be transformed into a public footpath.
Hampshire County Council owns a two-mile section of the dismantled Salisbury to Wimborne railway line, which runs through the parishes of Breamore and Fordingbridge between South Charford and Burgate Cross.
In the 1960s, the line was closed as part of the Beeching Cuts, and in 1971, the county council obtained the land to create a bypass around the village of Breamore.
The project was abandoned in the 2000s, and in 2006, the land was officially transferred from Highways to Countryside for its new purpose as a bridleway — a trail open to walkers, horse-riders and cyclists.
The land was cleared and improved during the 2000s and early 2010s. At the time, local residents asked to dedicate the site as a public right of way; however, due to objections from landowners, the proposal was rejected.
In December 2023, after New Forest District Council made Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) money available, the county council won a bid to implement the “long-term aspiration” to formalise public access along the railway.
The dedication is proposed to cover the entire width of the line, which ranges from 5.5 meters at the narrow section between the platforms at Breamore Station to 20 meters at its widest point.
While earlier discussions about the Breamore line touched on the potential for dedicating bridleway rights, the council indicated that the absence of suitable off-road connections for equestrians at both ends of the line makes it more fitting to formally dedicate only footpath rights at this time.
Therefore, the county council approved transforming the disused railway line into a public footpath with permissive cycling rights.
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