How to tell if a road / land is really private?
Discussion
Just wondering if there is a quick easy preferably free way to determine if a local lane is really private.
I first started using it for walking, running and cycling 10 years ago and have seen loads of other people using it in that time. I’m not sure if the “private” section is an official footpath, it’s part of the track bed of a dismantled railway and definitely does have official footpaths leading directly to and from it and is only about 1/4 mile long and Google maps will send you down it with no warning if you ask for directions.
Anyway about a year ago this sign popped up
I’ve not been down there since but would quite like to use it again. There are no houses or farm buildings off it just a field on one side that has horses in it.
Part of me is wondering if the horse owners have put it up to keep the public away from their horses.
Any ideas?
I first started using it for walking, running and cycling 10 years ago and have seen loads of other people using it in that time. I’m not sure if the “private” section is an official footpath, it’s part of the track bed of a dismantled railway and definitely does have official footpaths leading directly to and from it and is only about 1/4 mile long and Google maps will send you down it with no warning if you ask for directions.
Anyway about a year ago this sign popped up
I’ve not been down there since but would quite like to use it again. There are no houses or farm buildings off it just a field on one side that has horses in it.
Part of me is wondering if the horse owners have put it up to keep the public away from their horses.
Any ideas?
Often these signs pop up so it doesn’t become a public right of way , there’s some near me the Galaxo put up , it’s says we can use the path and they give us permission , but that it’s private and they can remove permission . Then in a different place another load popped up , but that’s was so they could start doing fox hunts on it
I normally first check googlemaps streetview to see if a car or walker has been down the lane/track.
If not then check this site to see if it is a bridleway or footpath
https://www.rowmaps.com/
If not then check this site to see if it is a bridleway or footpath
https://www.rowmaps.com/
Thanks guys. Had a look on the rowmaps and definitive map and OS
All concluded with each other in that they showed the known footpaths as rights of way but nothing on the bit I’m looking at.
Interestingly none of the maps show any part of the disused railway as a right of way even though it connects other rights of way. Part of it runs through a public park and none of the paths in there are listed either.
All concluded with each other in that they showed the known footpaths as rights of way but nothing on the bit I’m looking at.
Interestingly none of the maps show any part of the disused railway as a right of way even though it connects other rights of way. Part of it runs through a public park and none of the paths in there are listed either.
A farm I used to work on owned around 2 miles of old rail trackbed, it was certainly theirs and private and they used it as an access route to some of the further fields, shortcuts etc etc. Probably doesn't help you much but jut because it's an old railway doesn't make it a PROW.
Fabulous the old railway way, it included loads of old bridges so we cross the streams without having to ford them.
Fabulous the old railway way, it included loads of old bridges so we cross the streams without having to ford them.
rdjohn said:
NGee said:
How the hell are the Highway Authority going to know which tracks are Public Rights of Way?
Because they are obliged to maintain a registerYour local Highway Authority is the local council. It is the local councils ROW officer that you need to speak to.
Just had a closer look at the rowmap and definitive map on my work computer.
The OS map is not up to date, the rowmap does not have a lot of the row that the definitive map does and the definitive map is not up to date, the underlying map is up to date but the row on it are not as it lists one footpath near my house as going straight through the B&Q distribution centre and that has been there for 2-3 years now.
They all do seem consistent though in that none highlight the portion of railway in question as a row but then none of them list parts of the old railway that very much are open to the public and numerous other footpaths around the area as row either.
The OS map is not up to date, the rowmap does not have a lot of the row that the definitive map does and the definitive map is not up to date, the underlying map is up to date but the row on it are not as it lists one footpath near my house as going straight through the B&Q distribution centre and that has been there for 2-3 years now.
They all do seem consistent though in that none highlight the portion of railway in question as a row but then none of them list parts of the old railway that very much are open to the public and numerous other footpaths around the area as row either.
It most likely is Private land but the owner was just not previously bothered about trespass.
IANAL, but I don't expect that prior unchallenged trespass would automatically allow future trespass.
But, I have seen private woodland signage that allows the public to walk it on all but one day of the year (Xmas day If I remember correctly).
If you walk regularly worth keeping an eye out. Not that much time left to get the definitive map updated.
https://www.ramblers.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-...
https://www.ramblers.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-...
Electro1980 said:
Mandalore said:
It most likely is Private land but the owner was just not previously bothered about trespass.
IANAL, but I don't expect that prior unchallenged trespass would automatically allow future trespass.
Depends on how long it has been going on for.IANAL, but I don't expect that prior unchallenged trespass would automatically allow future trespass.
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