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Public rights of way field answer 095

Footpaths, bridleways and byways in England and Wales

Reading time
6 minutes
Reviewed
Scope
England and Wales public rights of way

The short answer

In England and Wales, a public footpath carries a right on foot. A bridleway also serves horse riders and cyclists. A restricted byway adds non-motorised vehicles, while a byway open to all traffic can carry motor vehicles too. Signs and traffic orders can still restrict use, and the recorded class does not promise a suitable surface.

Rights by user

The name tells you who has a public right to pass.

England and Wales record four main classes of public right of way. They are highways across land that may still be privately owned. The classification is about the public right, not the ownership of the ground or the visual quality of the path.

FootpathOn foot

The public right is for walking. A route being physically wide enough for a bicycle or horse does not add those rights.

BridlewayFoot, horse and cycle

Walkers, horse riders and pedal cyclists may use it. Cyclists must give way to people walking and riding horses.

Restricted bywayNon-motorised traffic

Walkers, horse riders, cyclists and non-mechanically propelled vehicles may use it. Ordinary motor-vehicle rights are not included.

Byway open to all trafficAll classes of traffic

Motor vehicles are included alongside the other users, subject to road traffic law and any current restriction.

Every class can be used on foot. The additional rights build from there, but they do not turn the route into a facility reserved for the fastest or largest user. Shared use calls for patience, particularly around horses, families, gates and narrow sections.

Two separate questions

A legal right does not describe the physical route.

The definitive map and statement kept by the relevant surveying authority is the legal record of public rights of way. It records the line and status. The accompanying statement may add particulars, but the classification alone says little about mud, stone, width, gradient, gates, drainage or seasonal condition.

A byway open to all traffic can be unsurfaced and physically unsuitable for a particular vehicle. A bridleway can be legal for cycling but too rough, steep or narrow for a rider's equipment or experience. Conversely, a smooth farm track can carry footpath rights only. Appearance is not a reliable substitute for status.

  • Legal classAnswers which categories of user hold a public right of passage.
  • MaintenanceAnswers who is responsible for particular work. It does not automatically describe current condition.
  • SuitabilityDepends on surface, structures, gradient, weather, equipment and the person using the route.
  • DifficultyNeeds a route assessment. It is not encoded by the words footpath, bridleway or byway.

Current controls

The recorded class is the starting point, not the last check.

A traffic regulation order can restrict a category of user even where the underlying highway would otherwise allow it. A byway may, for example, carry an order prohibiting motor vehicles. A temporary order can close a path while works, damage or another risk is dealt with. Local byelaws can also matter.

Waymarks and fingerposts help identify a route on the ground. They do not carry every piece of legal or temporary information, and a missing waymark does not by itself settle whether a right exists. Read the wording on any closure notice and compare its route reference, map, dates and affected users with the line you intend to follow.

An unexpected locked gate, barrier or obstruction is not proof that the right has permanently disappeared. It is also not an invitation to force a passage through active work or danger. Note the place, move to a clearly permitted alternative and report a possible problem to the relevant highway authority.

Before setting out

Check each section for the activity you will actually do.

  1. Trace

    Split the GPX where route status changes.

    A single ride or walk may combine roads, public rights of way, permissive paths and land with another access basis.

  2. Class

    Confirm the public right for every off-road section.

    Use the local authority's record and statement. Do not infer cycling or horse access from a visible track.

  3. Restrict

    Read current orders and closure notices.

    Check which users are affected, the exact length covered and the dates in force.

  4. Assess

    Judge whether the ground is suitable.

    Put surface, gradient, width, weather and escape options beside the legal classification.

  5. Respect

    Use the route as a shared public highway.

    Follow signs, give other users space and apply the Countryside Code throughout the journey.

The classification tells you what right exists. It does not tell you that every permitted journey is sensible today.

Sources & scope

What this answer is based on.

The four classifications apply to recorded public rights of way in England and Wales. Route-specific orders, byelaws and other lawful restrictions can alter current use.

Read the legal layer