THE future of North Yorkshire’s 700km network of historic lanes is looking bright following years of uncertainty and deterioration, a meeting has heard. Expressions of optimism come three years after North Yorkshire County Council’s Countryside Access Service (CAS) took responsibility for unsealed unclassified roads, which the local authority and North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales national park authorities repeatedly warned were being severely damaged. A meeting of the county’s Local Access Forum heard CAS’ achievements in turning around the tracks state of repair heralded as “outstanding” and “amazing”. Recently completed works include a steep, historic track at one of the most popular sites at the North York Moors, at Sheep Wash, near Osmotherley, which most users could not use without putting themselves at risk.