17 Oct 2012

Farmers big users of online walkways maps

10:09 am on 17 October 2012

Farmers and other landowners are among the biggest users of the mapping system developed by the Walking Access Commission.

The commission began developing the on-line mapping system about two years ago following a public row over access to waterways and public walkways, some of which traverse farmland.

The mapping system can now be accessed through smart phones.

It identifies publicly accessible land across most of the country - including "paper roads" - using basic and topographical maps and aerial photography, as well as displaying boundaries of privately-owned land.

The commission's chief executive Mark Neeson, says the system has been visited more than 100,000 times since it went on-line in July last year, with an average of 250 to 300 a day.