Footpath across meadow now brambles

[tullah]

I've a short footpath that skews across the corner of an old meadow. Over the last ten years it's become overgrown with brambles and impassable.
As it's an old cow meadow and not a growing crop, am I under any obligation to keep it clear?
Nobody walks it but i want to be in the clear as and when we have an RPA inspection.

 

[Still Farming]

Don't worry the ramblers and do gooders will be along shortly.
They got all the time in the World to hack the area out so you can drive a bus through.
All the time in the World to write to everyone to complain about it.
They got All the time in the Workd to walk, tramp crops, climb gates etc etc.
But they got NO TIME to repair or look after them.
Get in touch with your Local Council footpaths officer .
Hope they get back to you faster than they did with us in similar circumstances (3 yrs)
They eventually fitted a metal kissing gate.
They don't give a monkey's.
If we had big strong cattle our side and neighbours had big strong cattle their side it be bloody different ???
Best not to do anything yourself as if nail, wire etc etc damages walkers you be liable possibly.
Let them get on to it.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

Quick look on the internet and I found this

Vegetation, trees and crops on Rights of Ways

We endeavour to ensure the vegetation, hedges and over hanging trees are maintained so as not to interfere the users enjoyment.

www.surreycc.gov.uk

Who is responsible?​

We are responsible for clearing vegetation growing from the surface of the path, other than crops. The cutting back of hedges and over hanging trees generally rests with the landowner and we will take up any issues directly with them. A fallen tree will be treated as an obstruction and is the responsibility of the landowner. The occupier of the land is also responsible for keeping the right of way free from planted crops.

however I also found this

Footpaths on your farm: What are the rules?

Most landowners have some form of public right of way going through their land, whether it is a footpath, bridleway, or byway.

www.cxcs.co.uk

Key Facts:​

• Landowners are responsible for keeping footpaths clear.
• Any vegetation that could obstruct a route must be cut back (3m for bridleways and 1.5m for footpaths)

So about as clear as mud! I always believed it was the responsibility of the Council to keep brambles and such from growing up, but the landowners responsibility to keep tree branches from falling across the paths. Maybe an email to the Council rights of way officer to ask why they haven't cleared the brambles is the best way to go?

 

[Still Farming]

Get said right of way extinguished better way as clearly not used for years quickly now as once open that's it again and ramblers make a point of walking it???

 

[C.J]

You should be controlling the brambles for cross compliance by topping after the 31st of July.... Don't forget to leave 2 meters from the centre of the hedge for the wildlife. (so that the gates and styles grow over).

 

[Doing it for the kids]

You must have a ‘lax’ local parish council.

We get emails every season showing up marked paths through the crop which is 2 inch’s tall.

Be rights run a little topper over it but often the only people who walk them are the ramblers themselves doing the inspection!

 

[Kidds]

Leave it be and keep a proper record of just how impassable it is. After whatever length of time it is that is needed apply for it to be closed due to lack of use.
You really will need a very thorough set of evidence of it not being used because the ramblers are lying buggers and will say they have used it.
Or just do nothing whatsoever and just enjoy the fact it is not used. I most certainly wouldn't clear it and if ever questioned I would resist answering until pushed at which point I would claim it is the Councils responsibility.

 

[Steevo]

Is there a set length of time before it’s considered unused? I would think that would be a hard battle to fight, let alone win.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Given folk are trying to get paths opened back up that were last used 100 years ago I think the chances of extinguishing an existing one, regardless of use, are below 0!

 

[soapsud]

Down here the Council will hear if footpaths are overgrown. The landowner may or may not get informed but if the PCC or CC decides to strim it then said landowner will be billed (heavily).

 

[tullah]

Lots of ideas.
I want the official path to remain as is because theyve taken to walking the easy route fifty yards away across the meadow and I don't want them to maintain they have a right of way through there. We've kept up our statuary declaration over the years, although there was a gap of three years, twenty years ago, when we overran the renewal date.
Will they be able to use the three year gap in our declarations back in 2000 in order to claim a right of way over the clear part of the meadow they've been using?

I think I'll spray off a pathway of brambles with a knapsack to reinstate the official path while there's plenty of green leaf so it disappears over the winter.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

We are bolstering fences in some areas to enhance the obvious that no one has been able to use certain routes for some time.

I’d get them back on the right route asap else you may have 2 routes

 

[wanton dwarf]

Quick look on the internet and I found this

Vegetation, trees and crops on Rights of Ways

We endeavour to ensure the vegetation, hedges and over hanging trees are maintained so as not to interfere the users enjoyment.

www.surreycc.gov.uk

Who is responsible?​

We are responsible for clearing vegetation growing from the surface of the path, other than crops. The cutting back of hedges and over hanging trees generally rests with the landowner and we will take up any issues directly with them. A fallen tree will be treated as an obstruction and is the responsibility of the landowner. The occupier of the land is also responsible for keeping the right of way free from planted crops.

however I also found this

Footpaths on your farm: What are the rules?

Most landowners have some form of public right of way going through their land, whether it is a footpath, bridleway, or byway.

www.cxcs.co.uk

Key Facts:​

• Landowners are responsible for keeping footpaths clear.
• Any vegetation that could obstruct a route must be cut back (3m for bridleways and 1.5m for footpaths)

So about as clear as mud! I always believed it was the responsibility of the Council to keep brambles and such from growing up, but the landowners responsibility to keep tree branches from falling across the paths. Maybe an email to the Council rights of way officer to ask why they haven't cleared the brambles is the best way to go?

Landowner must keep the path clear of crops that would hinder walking - mow etc.

Council SHOULD keep the path clear of grass & brambles at field margins BUT they dont. They will pay a miserly £ maintenance cost (Not worth the damage to mower), but it then becomes YOUR responsibility and you can be fined mega bucks.

Landowner can be fined £1000, a Council can do whatever the fudge they want.


Walkers don't walk the field margin, they walk in the crop because their poor little feet cant be wet, they don't like grass-docks-stingers-plants and need rolled soil - they then complain about crops on the footpath.

You cannot win, it's a typical bureacratic racket.

 

[Steevo]

Landowner must keep the path clear of crops that would hinder walking - mow etc.

Council SHOULD keep the path clear of grass & brambles at field margins BUT they dont. They will pay a miserly £ maintenance cost (Not worth the damage to mower), but it then becomes YOUR responsibility and you can be fined mega bucks.

Landowner can be fined £1000, a Council can do whatever the fudge they want.


Walkers don't walk the field margin, they walk in the crop because their poor little feet cant be wet, they don't like grass-docks-stingers-plants and need rolled soil - they then complain about crops on the footpath.

You cannot win, it's a typical bureacratic racket.

Well said.

Footpaths around the edge of arable fields here are just a mass of weeds. Much easier for anyone to walk up the headland tramline 12m distance into the field.

Council are quick enough to get onto the landowner if there is a complaint, but when the boot is on the other foot it’s the opposite attitude.

 

[wanton dwarf]

Footpaths around the edge of arable fields here are just a mass of weeds. Much easier for anyone to walk up the headland tramline 12m distance into the field.

Most trample the crop at the edge of the field.

The tramline walkers trample the crop when exiting the field.

I fudging hate em all.

 

[Steevo]

Most trample the crop at the edge of the field.

The tramline walkers trample the crop when exiting the field.

I fudging hate em all.

Anyone who gets something for free does not value it and has no respect for it.

 

[Jonp]

I've got a footpath that runs across three of my fields. The style at the top of the hill, where the path leaves the farm, leads to the bramble bank path down to the housing estate. Don't get many/any walkers during bramble season as nobody clears the bramble bank path...suits me. Get a few people that walk up the hill only to return to complain the bramble bank is impassable. Advise them to get onto council....nothing happens.

 

[flowerpot]

Landowners responsibility to keep it clear of vegetation. Failure to do that would be a Cross Compliance matter.
If reported to the Council they would contact you to get it cleared.

Its expensive and long winded and hard to get it extinguished, and would bring it to the local's attention.

 

[Deereone]

I don't do Cross Compliance so good luck with that one.

As I've mentioned before if the path runs along the side of a field then fence it off. It stops them wandering all over the place and soon becomes overgrown and unwelcoming.

 

[Redhill]

Landowners responsibility to keep it clear of vegetation. Failure to do that would be a Cross Compliance matter.
If reported to the Council they would contact you to get it cleared.

Its expensive and long winded and hard to get it extinguished, and would bring it to the local's attention.

Vegetation only applies to a crop not the grass, brambles, trees, hedge, stingers etc on the field margin.

Field Margins are the responsibility of the Council not the farmer.