Just to respond to shortwalker's concerns, I really don't see a likelihood of serious damage being caused by walkers in most rural areas of England - it appears to me that most damage is caused by the people who drive to a honey pot destination, walk a few hundred yards at most, have a party, leave a load of litter and worse, and then leave. Expandng rights to roam will surely have little impact on this sort of person.
Most people who walk in the countryside are way more responsible than that. Of course there may be some damage, but not to the extent that it will damage livelihoods. I really don't understand shortwalker's fighting against expanding access rights to walkers, it seems a strange position to take on a walking forum.