This is a comprehensive booklet written for landowners,
farmers, parish councils, town councils, groups representing users
of public rights of way, as well as members of the public.
It provides guidance and information about definitive
maps - the legal record of public rights of way - and the ways in
which both those maps and individual rights of way can be
changed.
Rights of way are paths and tracks which, the public, has a
right to use. They are collectively known as highways. The
status of the right of way is individually described as a
Footpath, a Bridleway or a Byway. The nature of the right
differs for each.
Parish/Town Councils or Voluntary Community Groups can become
actively involved in improving and promoting their local rights of
way networks through the
Parish Paths Partnership (P3) Scheme which is funded by Essex
County Council.
Use of mechanically propelled vehicles on rights of
way
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 introduced a number
of significant changes relating to the vehicular use of rights of
way. Two new sets of guidance were published on the 19th Jan
2006 relateing to the use of use of mechanically
propelled vehicles on rights of way.
These can be found on
http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/cl/mpv/index.htm