About public rights of way

What is a public right of way?

All public rights of way are highways, which you are entitled to use at any time. Rights of way are classified according to the nature of their use. There are four categories of rights of way.

Footpath

Marked with a yellow arrow and should be used by the public on foot only.

Bridleway

Marked with a blue arrow and may be used by the public on foot, cycle or on horseback.

Byway Open To All Traffic (BOAT)

Marked with a red arrow and are available for use on foot, cycle, on horseback and motorised vehicle.

Restricted Byways

Available to users on foot, cycle, horseback and carriage drivers but not to mechanically propelled vehicles.

(Restricted Byway replaces RUPPS - Roads used as a public path through the countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.)

Most rights of way run across privately owned land and the responsibility for looking after rights of way rests with the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, as highway authority, although the landowner or farmer has obligations as well.

Public rights of way should always be free from obstructions and cannot be built on unless a legal order is confirmed to divert the route to a new line. Routes that are rarely used are not lost and always remain protected.

Is there a map of public rights of way in the East Riding?

The definitive map is the legal record of all public rights of way currently recorded in the East Riding. The definitive map and Statement of Public Rights of Way (definitive map) can be viewed at the council`s archives and local studies collections within the Treasure House:

The Treasure House
Champney Road
Beverley
East Riding of Yorkshire
HU17 9BG. 

For reasons of copyright, photocopies of the definitive map cannot be provided.

An electronic working copy map is available online at the Walking the Riding website. This is not the definitive map but shows the routes so that you can see if you are entitled to use a particular route. It is also useful for creating your own routes.

Walking the Riding (external website)

The information derived from the definitive map is used by Ordnance Survey to produce their OS "Explorer" maps, and are available locally from bookshops and Tourist Information Centres.

The definitive statement accompanies the map and can give further information such as length, the width of the way, recording gates and stiles and any limitations.

The definitive map and statement can be amended using statutory processes.

Where can I get walking, riding and cycling information?

A range of walks, cycling routes and other outdoor activities can be found on the East Riding Coast and Countryside website:

East Riding Coast and Countryside - Walks and activities (external council website)

Ordnance Survey "Explorer" maps are published at a scale of 1:25000 and are an easy way to get information on a wide range of public access available. The maps show public rights of way information, accessible woodland, country parks, parking, pubs and Tourist Information Centres (TICs). They are available from most bookshops and TICs.

We have developed a range of promoted access leaflets and publications that are available to help you enjoy the East Riding countryside. Free town centre walking and cycling maps and leisure cycle maps are available to download from the Transport Policy pages -  Town centre walking and cycling maps.

Visit Hull and East Yorkshire has developed 8 Big Skies Bike Rides that are longer distance routes inspired by the artwork of David Hockney. Ride maps and information can be downloaded from:

Visit Hull and East Yorkshire - Big Skies, Big Rides (external council website)

We also manage the Walking the Riding website that has information on over 300 leisure walks in the area. You can use the site to search for a suitable route for mountain bikes and horse riders:

Walking the Riding (external council website)

If you would prefer to walk as part of a group or would like to introduce exercise into your daily routine, we run a  Walking for Health programme with led walks starting from towns and villages across the East Riding.

There are also leaflets and guide books published by independent groups that are available from most local bookshops and TICs.

Who can use public rights of way?

Anyone can use the public rights of way.

Can I take my dog along a public right of way?

You may take your dog with you, provided that it is kept under close control and remains on the path and does not "worry" livestock. When walking through a field with sheep then you must keep it on a lead. When walking in a field with cows and calves please be conscious of the behaviour of the cows, and release your dog from the lead if approached. Always try and look out for a safe exit point in case you are approached by aggressive farm animals.

Please remember that dog control orders apply to all public rights of way, parks and countryside sites and require dog owners to clean up and to keep dogs under close control.

Can I take a pushchair or wheelchair along a public right of way?

Pushchairs and wheelchairs are permitted to be taken along public rights of way if it is practical to do so. The recommended routes on the Walking the Riding website have information about the accessibility of each of the chosen routes:

Walking the Riding (external East Riding website)

For rights of way not included within a recommended walk, the best way of finding out is to ask your Local Rights of Way Officer for information about the route.

We are working to improve the accessibility of routes, we would like to hear from you if you want to use routes but structures are stopping you from enjoying the countryside.

What is a permissive path?

A permissive path, sometimes called a 'concessionary path', is when the landowner allows the public to use a route, with the clear intention that it should not become a public right of way.

The landowner may erect notices to that effect and, perhaps, close the path once a year. These often supplement the rights of way network at a local level and provide solutions for landowners to problems they face with trespass.

Will I encounter livestock when using rights of way?

Yes. Livestock can be kept in fields crossed by rights of way. Bulls over the age of 10 months are prohibited from being kept in a field crossed by a public right of way on their own.

Cows or heifers may accompany beef bulls, but dairy breed bulls are not permitted, even when accompanied by other cattle.

Sometimes you will hear about incidents involving walkers and cattle. Please consider your own safety when walking through fields containing cattle. They are normally well-behaved but do not respond well to dogs, particularly when calves are present.

You may take your dog with you on a public right of way, provided that it is kept under close control, and remains on the path and does not "worry" livestock. When walking through a field with sheep then you must keep the dog(s) on a lead. When walking in a field with cows and calves please be conscious of the behaviour of the cows, and release your dog from the lead if approached. Always try and lookout for a safe exit point in case you are approached by aggressive farm animals.

Can a farmer plough over a right of way?

Farmers and landowners can only plough cross-field footpaths and bridleways where it cannot be avoided. It is a legal requirement that these paths are reinstated by making sure it is reasonably convenient to use, and clearly marked on the ground within 14 days of ploughing.

Any subsequent disturbance of the same path, such as harrowing, should be reinstated within 24 hours.

It is not permissible to plough:

• any field-edge right of way
• restricted byway
• any Byway Open To All Traffic (BOAT).

The Rights of Way Act 1990 sets out legal widths for the reinstatement of public rights of way after ploughing or sowing crops.

Paths that have been disturbed should be reinstated to a minimum width of:

• 1.0 metre for a crossfield footpath 
• 2.0 metres for a crossfield bridleway.

Farmers are not permitted to plough field edge paths and the minimum widths that should be left undisturbed are:

• 1.5 metres for a field edge footpath
• 3.0 metres for a field edge bridleway.

How wide is a public right of way?

If a path has a recorded width in the definitive statement, then that is the legal width of the right of way. Generally, there are few paths with a recorded width in the statement.

If no width is recorded, then the width of the right of way is that which the public has used. Where a right of way has fences or hedges either side of the path then it will normally be the whole width between the boundaries that have been dedicated as a right of way.

The Rights of Way Act 1990 sets out legal widths for the reinstatement of public rights of way after ploughing or sowing crops.

Paths that have been disturbed should be reinstated to a minimum width of:

• 1.0 metre for a crossfield footpath
  
• 2.0 metres for a crossfield bridleway.

Farmers are not permitted to plough field edge paths and the minimum widths that should be left undisturbed are:

• 1.5 metres for a field edge footpath
  
• 3.0 metres for a field edge bridleway.

Is it possible to temporarily close or divert a public right of way?

Temporary orders under the Road Traffic Act can be used where necessary to ensure that planned engineering works or development can take place and the public can be excluded from the site for their own safety, for a reasonable period.

Charges are made for this work, and if you wish to make a request, please  contact us online.

Please note: the authority expects the applicant to carry out consultations with the user groups prior to submitting an application. The authority needs at least two months notice to complete the legal process and is not under any obligation to accept an application.

Can new structures be erected on a public right of way?

Existing structures such as stiles and gates can be replaced by landowners, but in doing so they must ensure that these are easy to use and meet the principles of the British standard for gaps, gates and stiles as far as is practical.

New structures erected on the public rights of way network must be authorised by the council as highway authority. Strict rules and conditions apply to this process, and often it is not possible for a new structure to be authorised. 

Unauthorised structures remain an obstruction and the council reserves the right to remove these.

If you would like to erect a new structure, you must contact us online.

Do you have any guidance for anyone involved in the planning and development of Public Rights of Way (PROW)?

Public Rights of Way (PROW) are an important asset to the residents and visitors of the East Riding, having a positive effect on quality of life and health and well-being. 

East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s (ERYC) Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) sets out our vision for the network, recognising that quality routes help people keep active, feel safe, improve community cohesion, offer alternatives to car journeys and provide an enjoyable experience for residents and tourists visiting the area.

Paths are particularly important for children, families and people without cars. Effective integration of planning and rights of way can help achieve benefits for local communities, and help deliver key objectives for National and Local Government.

Should you need to consider the impact that development might have on the public rights of way network then this guidance document should be read prior to submitting a planning application:

East Riding Countryside Public Rights of Way and Planning Guidance (pdf 7.6kb)

The purpose of this guidance document is to explain the approach of the council, provide recommended standards and give associated advice so that all those involved in the planning and development process consider Public Rights of Way at an early stage, and give due weight to their importance in the planning process. In turn this will lead to PROWs being well designed into a development proposal to deliver the most sustainable and viable scheme for the benefit of all.

Is there a right to roam?

You are not allowed to go wherever you want in the countryside. 

You are welcome to use the public rights of way network, nature reserves, parks, beaches, and some woods. 

You can wander wherever you want on land mapped as ' access land', and many of the dry chalk valleys in the Yorkshire wolds offer opportunities to wander off public rights of way.

East Riding Coast and Countryside (external website)

How can I report a issue on a public right of way?

Read more about how you can report an issue on a public right of way online.

This is the Area Officers' map which helps customers find the right person to speak to:

Public Rights of Way - Area Officers (pdf 3mb)