Rights of way improvement plan 2020 to 2030

The Definitive Map and Statement is the legal record of public rights of way.

The map shows all types of recorded public rights of way and the statement gives further details of the routes, which might include widths or limitations to the rights of the public.

You can order an extract of the Definitive Map and Statement.

Changes can be made to the map and statement. Although the map shows all legally recorded routes, there are sometimes public rights which are not recorded on the map.

Let us know if you would like to request a change to the Definitive Map and Statement [LINK].

Public Path Orders (PPOs) are also used to make changes to public rights of way. These can divert, extinguish or create rights of way.

Landowners or the public can ask for a change to a public right of way. The council assesses these applications to make sure that the convenience to the public is not reduced.

If the council thinks the change would not inconvenience the public, it consults with organisations and the public to decide whether to go ahead. The process of carrying out these changes can be lengthy and there is a charge for this service.

For paths which are created or diverted, the council will expect British Standard BS5709: 2018 to be applied at boundaries.

The council will also expect new routes to have a minimum width of 2m for footpaths and 4m for bridleways. A further 1m should be added for paths with fences on both sides or where hedge growth is likely to restrict users.

Common Land and Town and Village Greens also provide places for people to visit the countryside.

The council is the Registration Authority for Common Land and Town and Village Greens. There are 1,175 hectares of Common Land and 173 hectares of Town and Village Greens. Every year the council responds to around 1,500 searches related to these areas. After being used for 20 years by inhabitants of the area New Town and Village Greens can be registered ‘as of right’.

The Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013 made several major changes to the law on registering new Town and Village Greens.

The rights of way network is complimented by open access land designated as part of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. However, these areas are limited to a small number of chalk downland in the Chilterns, a single parcel of heathland at Black Park Country Park and some open access land dedicated by the National Trust and Forestry Commission, mainly in or fringing the Chilterns.

The council has a strong preference that any new access is formally dedicated or created as part of the definitive public rights of way network. If this is not possible the council may enter into permissive path agreements.

Some permissive paths are recorded on the digital interactive map of routes [LINK].

To uphold our duties to provide an up-to-date Definitive Map and Statement, we aim to:

• consolidate the Definitive Map and Statement by 2025 (MN1.1)
• reduce the number of map anomalies (MN1.2)
• improve our online, publicly viewable, registers for DMMOs, PPOs and Landowner Deposits (MN1.3)
• consider all applications for Public Path Orders, Definitive Map Modification Orders and Cycle Track Orders and determine these in line with any statutory timescales (MN1.4)

In order to ensure we keep an up-to-date register for Common Land and Town and Village Greens, we consider all applications for Common Land and Village Green registrations in line with any statutory timescales (MN2.1).