Tangential to OSM but may be of interest to mappers: a 2031 deadline to submit new/modified PRoWs to the definitive maps is to be scrapped.
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Good news.
I paid attention to just one path in Durham. It had OSM history of being mapped several years ago, it was well trodden, and you could expect it got used between residential areas. It ran between trees alongside a field, not really valuable land. Durham County Council response was that there’s loads of paperwork to get it registered, possible court appearances, etc etc.
I got the impression they didn’t want me to bother them with any paths, and they wouldn’t provide me with any help to make a claim.
Councils do tend to be quite stretched and (rightly or wrongly) rights of way teams tend to be low priority.
From personal experience, I was able to get buy-in by approaching my local councillor (might have helped that they were from the Green party). Unfortunately, although the local councillor was quite willing to help, it didn’t really go much further than that because this was a county council level issue. I ended up moving away from the area in the end so didn’t ever see it through. But certainly might be worth contacting your local councillor.
The process is a bit laborious but not insurmountable. One of the hardest parts is providing uninterrupted use for 20 years as this often requires statements from local residents and putting a timeline together.
The Rambler’s Society has some info: Claiming unrecorded public rights of way - Ramblers