thoughts on private roads

[chqshaitan]

No. its definitely a footpath. I don't know the area and you may find that the landowner tolerates bikes, however its always worth knowing what your rights/responsibilities are before getting into an argument with farmers!!

As for arrows, if you are not sure yellow means footpath and blue bridleway... :-)

Hi Bud,

I am confused now :S, after checking the key for ordnance survey map key, its marked as a bridleway. (long green dashes, not short green dots as per a foot path). its wide enough to be a road, as traffic can pass each other at a push.

 

[chqshaitan]

Hmm.. Please come back and report your findings I live in birchwood so I'm interested to hear. I've been a bit up silver lane but only to pick up the right hand turn up the hill into gorse covert as that's a cycle path listed (I think) on the Warrington council cycle path map. Not been further down silver lane as I was unsure of the legality, where it practically led, what the surface was like and whether I was likely to be shouted at or had the hounds set on me

Hi Dave,

haha, yea i had those thoughts myself when i first took it, the road surface is a state, i wouldnt want to cycle along it on a normal road bike as its full of pot holes. You pass a few farms on either side and when you get to the end, you pass by farm buildings either side.

Next time i take it, i am going to stop at this farm and speak to the farmer for his views on the situation.

 

[BimblingBee]

Hi Bud,

I am confused now :S, after checking the key for ordnance survey map key, its marked as a bridleway. (long green dashes, not short green dots as per a foot path). its wide enough to be a road, as traffic can pass each other at a push.

If you slide the map right a bit there is a part near New Moss wood that has a bridleway so you can see the difference. The surface is not relivent, it could go across the middle of a field and have no physical path and it still be a bridleway. The symbols just denote that you have got a right to go there

 

[chqshaitan]

Ah I see you what you mean now as i can see the difference between the length of the lines. Stupid maps eh

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[chqshaitan]

well i took the plunge and commuting in this morning, weather wasnt best, but i made it, took me about 50 mins to do 8 miles, not the fastest by any stretch but considering its my first, not too shabby me thinks.

The route by pestfurlong hill that joins silver lane is very easy to find but was a tad muddy, but seeing as its only for a few metres longnothing major, saves me doing the motorway junction or taking other longer muddy routes.

 

[David Haworth]

So did you talk to the farmer then?

 

[chqshaitan]

no, didnt bother as i did a search on here and one of the guys said that the farmers dont mind.

 

[Banjo]

A friend of mine bought a new house which had a right of way through it which noone knew about and was unused for years. The path didnt appear on the latest maps but was discovered on much older maps after the houses were built. The council re routed the path around the new houses adding less than 100 meters to the distance and providing a decent path plus a useable galvanised gate in place of the over grown track and un useable gate that had been there before.

Belligerent walkers ,some not even local,insisted on using the original route despite the fact that previously nobody used to use it at all. The stress got to them they now live somewhere else.

I am all for keeping paths etc open and have reported to the council when I have found a path blocked but a degree of common sense seems to get lost sometimes.

PS Im not at all suggesting that is the case in this instance, just me rambling on (excuse the pun)

 

[chqshaitan]

ah damn, bet that was frustrating for them. I contacted the council and they are adding silver lane to their list of routes to develop for cycling, so who knows, maybe something will come of it.

 

[subaqua]

A friend of mine bought a new house which had a right of way through it which noone knew about and was unused for years. The path didnt appear on the latest maps but was discovered on much older maps after the houses were built. The council re routed the path around the new houses adding less than 100 meters to the distance and providing a decent path plus a useable galvanised gate in place of the over grown track and un useable gate that had been there before.

Belligerent walkers ,some not even local,insisted on using the original route despite the fact that previously nobody used to use it at all. The stress got to them they now live somewhere else.

I am all for keeping paths etc open and have reported to the council when I have found a path blocked but a degree of common sense seems to get lost sometimes.

PS Im not at all suggesting that is the case in this instance, just me rambling on (excuse the pun)

thats why all proper walkers use the definitive map which the local authority will keep. it used to be free to look at and would cost if you wanted a copy. there were however never any problems with copying the up to date info from the definitive onto your own paper copy ( as much as i hate defacing maps)

 

[David Haworth]

no, didnt bother as i did a search on here and one of the guys said that the farmers dont mind.

Being as it claims to be a private road, did we determine whether there is a legal right to walk or cycle along silver lane?

David

 

[slowmotion]

Just ask the owner of the private road if he minds. IMVHO, the Henley ramblers were complete t#ts. Some people thrive on confrontation.

 

[chqshaitan]

Being as it claims to be a private road, did we determine whether there is a legal right to walk or cycle along silver lane?

David

Yea, i contacted the council (a post towards the beginning of this thread), they advised me that it is a public pathway and its now on their list of routes to refurbish to allowing cycling at some point in the future.

 

[Banjo]

[QUOTE 2335747, member: 9609"]Some ROWs should be kept open at all costs, no matter how annoying it is to the home owner LINK[/quote]
Absolutely agree with you IMHO all paths should be kept open as once gone they are unlikely to be reopened.

In my friends case the path was not known about by anyone local and crucially did not appear on the councils so called "definitive map" it did appear on much older historical maps of the area .

They had no comeback on the builders or their own solicitor as all normal avenues had been explored in the search process.

The builders out of good faith did provide them with a large paved area and seperately paved the path to define its boundaries unfortunately not all walkers or their dogs respected that.

There was never any intention to close the route completely.

They could have legally contested the paths legitimacy but couldnt risk the massive financial risks involved.

The detour provided skirted around the block of about 3 houses and was the logical route to use in the first place.

 

[David Haworth]

Yea, i contacted the council (a post towards the beginning of this thread), they advised me that it is a public pathway and its now on their list of routes to refurbish to allowing cycling at some point in the future.

Ahh, my apologies, I missed that but good news

Being as my bike is on 28 slicks I might wait for everything to dry out before I venture down there myself

David