https://rusa.org/pages/permsrolloutRUSA (over here in North America) is restarting permanents in these days of COVID-19. At present, just up to nominal 200 km routes (which means, not more than 299 km)
Numerous innovations and changes from former approach, including:
routes are "owned" by RUSA
validation by photos, gps track, or honor-system cards
start route at any point and ride in any direction (for loops), or at either end, for point to point (though complications of changing direction are up to the rider to figure out (one-way streets, etc.)
all routes are free-route, but rider must ride at least as far as the designed route
Former routes are being converted to the new system.
Seems like AUK pioneered some of these concepts.