Riding legally off-road?

kylie

UncleMonty wrote:

When I looked at my map I found that almost all the trails I use are footpaths and therefore shouldn't be ridden, I'm 39 and have been using some of these since my Raleigh Tomahawk days. The more I search for information the more vague it all becomes and no one I have ever come across has told me I shouldn't be riding these paths, I just keep riding them and show the other users the respect I've always done.

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If you and others have been regularly using these paths for a long time you have grounds to get it reclassified. It is a hassle but basically ROWs are defined by usage, just because it is a footpath it doesn't mean it is not a bridleway too. Do what you can, the bastards are trying to take all the fun away from us.

kylie

dave_hill wrote:

I!

The only way to be sure of the status of a public right of way is to check the definitive maps held by the planning department of the local authority.

Although the definitive map is not always definitive.

UncleMonty

.[/quote]

If you and others have been regularly using these paths for a long time you have grounds to get it reclassified. It is a hassle but basically ROWs are defined by usage, just because it is a footpath it doesn't mean it is not a bridleway too. Do what you can, the bastards are trying to take all the fun away from us.[/quote]

I have thought about this, on my council website it lists all the petitions for ROW & re-classification under consideration, but after reading pdf copies of the mulitple forms and statements needed to back it up I didn't think about it for long.

Thing is most of these paths a very narrow, too narrow to be bridle paths so I think its a non starter.

dave_hill

kylie wrote:

dave_hill wrote:

I!

The only way to be sure of the status of a public right of way is to check the definitive maps held by the planning department of the local authority.

Although the definitive map is not always definitive.

But it's a better and more reliable source of information than an OS map. Or somebody saying it's "locally acceptable" to ride there.

And it's also better to have some information than to be wilfully ignorant, simply because you're too bloody selfish and idle to find out properly :evil: .

alibali65

and remember, at night, trail access laws become redundant


Is this correct? Can I ride on footpaths at night?

I have been using footpaths at night since I got my AY Ups as I reckon on a cold winters night no one will be there.

sniper68

alibali65 wrote:

and remember, at night, trail access laws become redundant


Is this correct? Can I ride on footpaths at night?

I have been using footpaths at night since I got my AY Ups as I reckon on a cold winters night no one will be there.

You can't ride them at anytime.Can you drive up the M1 in the wrong direction at night Same rules apply.

Some laws are a bit daft.

When the right to roam was introduced a couple of years back the Ramblers Association etc campaigned for it to be for WALKERS only.MTBers/Horseriders etc were not included.The Ramblers Assc official line is that it wouldn't have been passed if bikers/horses were included.A cynic might say it because they wan't the trails to themselves

Where we ride (The Dark Peak)We're quite lucky as although there are some stunning FPs there's also some stunning BWs,so we have no need to ride FPs.

lastwords

I live just north of nottingham and ride in the dark peak and white peak regulary, i follow the law and stick to the BW's.

However i have a local route that passes through farm land half of the loop is a bridleway and the other half a footpath. Both parts of the route are the same type of surface i would call farmtrack.

I have seen horse riders on the footpath side, the farmers have even pulled over in there tractors to let me pass and i have also passed two police men on the mtb's patrolling the area on the footpath side.

BorisSpencer

I do the same in Northants, we ride footpaths that are on farm tracks, and we've often chatted with the farners concerned. Just because a the public right of way is a footpath, it doesn't preclude it being a permissive BW.

stumpyjon

Must admit I also have a cheeky trail that is officially a footpath but runs along double track. Used it a number of times and it passes through a farmyard. Thought I was going to cope for it last summer, the farm yards usually deserted but on the occaision the famer was dosing his sheep and had completly blocked the track with sheep pens and a gate. I shouted morning at him which got a nod in reply, lifted my bike over the gate and then climbed over and not a mumour.

That said there is another piece of fully surfaced track that's a footpath that I tried to ride and the farmer shot out of the farm house in his SUV to chase me and turn me back. Haven't been that way again. It's really annoying though as the route leading to the footpath from both sides is a bridleway that just suddenly turns into a footpath. Think it harks back to the 1967 classification cocks up.

Really tempted to go back though and push or carry my bike across the footpath. Last time he was really arrogant and told me that the law was clear and I couldn't be where I was with a bike. At the time I didn't know any better, fancy going back with case law references and pointing out that it's not been settled in law either way and if he fancies suing me in the civil courts for damage and trespass he can have a go if he can prove I've damaged something. If he tries to physically manhandle me I'll point out that he's now committing a criminal offence and I know where he lives and will be reporting him to the police for assault :twisted:

Anyone else up for some arrogant know it all farmer baiting :twisted:

fandangus

so lucky over here (Isle of Man) the green lanes are mostly signposted and trails run for miles over a variety of surface, the forestry plantations are all open to bikes and we now have some dedicated tracks built with the support of the forestry commission in the plantations and routes listed on the gov't web sites tourist/what to do section. http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/tourism/trails.pdf motorcross and trials are big over here as well as the obvious road racing and you can find practice circuits for bmx and trials dotted about the island.

pilsburypie

Is bike radar promoting illegal riding?

Point 4. Street riding seems to suggest riding down stairs and bunny hopping up kerbs.... urban downhill?.... naughty naughty!

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/fitness/ar ... ills-20082

ragged1100

This problem with footpaths seems to be an extension of the problems you get with cycle lanes in towns...the governement is all very happy to stand in front of the cameras and encourage us all to get out on our bikes and then in reality make it imposssible to do so..who hasn't been on a cycle lane that suddenly disappears or cycle lanes that run for 20m & then stop!!!! A simple soution would be to make all footpaths accessible to bikes and if they cross through fields with livestock in or wih crops, you should be obliged t0 get off and walk avoiding the crops/livestock...is that too obvious?

Ragged

abductee

Where do we sign the petition to get these stupid rules overturned. Is the IMBA the place to look?

I don't think Sustrans have the mountain biking communities interests at heart because when they gain control of a cycle trail they take all the bumps and bends out of it and cover it with smooth gravel or tarmac.

sniper68

abductee wrote:

Where do we sign the petition to get these stupid rules overturned. Is the IMBA the place to look?

I don't think Sustrans have the mountain biking communities interests at heart because when they gain control of a cycle trail they take all the bumps and bends out of it and cover it with smooth gravel or tarmac.

The right to roam more or less put paid to any changes for bikes.If MTBers had been included in the new "go anywhere"rules we'd have half a chance of changing the law.We weren't so i doubt the laws will be "relaxed"anytime soon.We get the blame for more or less all the trail damage/erosion etc by the ramblers assc. etc,they have 1000s of members and people listen to them.I'm not saying all walkers are against it,just the real red sock brigade.The IMBA etc aren't going to flog a dead horse.

mudslinger

Where I live in Mid Sussex there are loads of countryside fotpaths but very few bridleways - what little that is within a 10 mile radius of my house are either boring farm type tracks or are impassible mud baths due to churning by horses or 4x4s. As such I sometimes reluctantly ride local footpaths that are rarely frequented by walkers. In addition we do have some bridleways that stop dead so can't be incorporated into a loop! I'm considering getting a road bike as the local offroad cycling is so crap!

In my view some of the local footpaths should really be bridleways & as such I contacted the dept for Transport earlier in the year about this. I was coming from the angle about the dangers of cycling to work & would like to see some footpaths converted to cycle access. Their response is shown below.


The Department for Environment, Fisheries and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for policy on Rights of Way (ROW) you mention, however, the local highway authority is responsible for maintaining details for the ROWs. You can contact Defra at helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk or check their website on www.defra.gov.uk .

There are procedures in the Cycle Tracks Act 1984 for converting a footpath to a cycle track. Highway authorities also have a wide range of powers to convert footpaths to bridleways as well as creating new bridleways and cycle tracks. It is for individual highway authorities to decide whether to convert a footpath in this way. It is unlikely, given that footpaths are ROW for pedestrians and not all are suitable for conversion that an authority would allow blanket use of footpaths by cyclists. Conversions of footpaths can be objected to and unresolved objections are ultimately decided by the Secretary of State for Transport sometimes after a local enquiry.

ragged1100

What they didn't mention is that the process can take years and cost thousands!

Jay dubbleU

All highway authorities - ie county councils or unitary authorities maintain what is called the Definitive Map - this shows all PROWS in their area - many now publish it in one form or another on their web site it shows not only the routes but also the type of access allowed ie footpath, bridleway, green lane etc

dave_hill

abductee wrote:

Has anyone ever been prosecuted for riding on a footpath?

This is the only case I can think of
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=226081

You can't be prosecuted for riding on a public footpath - remember that the offence is trespass which is a civil offence, not criminal.

But the various Countryside and Rights of Way Acts along with their updates and amendments specifically prohibit cycling on a public footpath.

I think some people also confuse public footpaths with pavements (i.e. the tarmac or flagged strip that runs down the side of a road). Riding on a pavement ("a footpath which runs parallel to and adjoining a road") is a criminal offence and you can be cautioned, fined and/or imprisoned for doing so depending upon the severity of the offence.