Rights of Way

The following has been extracted from Gloucestershire County Council publications.

What are your Rights of Way?

• Public Footpaths. You may use these on foot, in a wheelchair or invalid carriage. You may also take a pram or a pushchair if it practical to do so. You may usually take a dog but it must be kept under close control.

• Public bridleways.   The same rights as public footpaths plus  a right to ride a horse or bicycle.

   

•  Byways.   These are open to all traffic, including vehicles, but do not expect a smooth tarmac surface.

   

  Restricted Byways.   Rights along these routes are the same as bridleways plus a right for horse drawn carriages. Some may carry vehicular rights also.

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  Landowners and farmers are responsible for:

   

  • Maintaining stiles and gates on paths across their land in a safe and convenient condition for public use. (landowners and farmers should speak to the county council before putting in stiles or gates in new places along paths). 

      

  • Not ploughing any field edge path.

      

  • Making sure that footpaths and bridleways across cultivated fields are reinstated and marked on the ground to the  correct width and kept free from crops.

      

  • Making sure that all kinds of byways are not cultivated.

      

  • Cutting back overhanging vegetation that affects users of public rights of way.

   

  • Not allowing a mature dairy bull to graze in a field with a public right of way,and making sure that bulls of other breeds are with cows or heifers.

   

  • Arranging with the county council for paths that will be affected by drainage or other engineering works to be temporaily closed or diverted.

   

  • Providing suitable bridges where new ditches are dug or existing ones widened.

   

  • Landowners and farmers may shoot on the land but not in such a way as to endanger the public.