Blocked Byway ..

Ah.. The concrete block Disco filter. :-)

It looks like it could have been driven round with a narrower vehicle, but there again, I wasn't there.

I don't know the area, do you have a grid reference, and I'll look on the GLASS database, see what's noted.

Dave B.

acc. to memory Map SE 61860 00210

It couldn't be driven round. There is another block that can't be seen through the undergrowth that is even larger, and on the other side a kerb, fence and tree/bushes with large, low branches and getting through would mean going off the area that is the 'Byway' .. it's more legal; to abate a blockage than by-pass it, especially if the bypass goes off-road.

Hi Paul.

According to my OS 2004 maps, that's an ORPA north of the railway, and a Restricted Byway south of the tracks. But I only use them as a rough guidance these days...

However, the GLASS Trailwise database, does list both parts as OK for motors. (Even Warren Lane to the raiway.)

Their UID numbers for this 'way' are... SE6100-01 for the North/West part, and SE6100-02 for the South/East part.

Those seem to work if you enter them into the UID: box, under "Find and item:" on the page at

I see there is a farm (Manor Farm) nearby, guess the owner is a little bit "anti" ?

Cheers.

Dave B.

Yeah, my 'older' OS shows it as restricted but my latest shows it as a Byway .. and Definitive map states it all as a Byway, I do check .. ;)

Obstruction is at the coordinates I posted .. right next to the point where the road/tarmac changes to dirt, where the Gas/Electric compound boundaries end.

Yeah, Farmer hated it when a Bridleway/Cyclepath was recently put in, he thinks he owns _all_ of it ..

I think we've all come accross landowners or tennants like that, sadly.

OK, I've added the comment that there is an obsrucion at :- SE 61860 00210 on the GLASS Trailwise database, anyone viewing either parts of that route will see the comment. Also, a link to your posting on the LandyZone forum, with the pictures.

Sorry if you've already said, but have you reported it to the local council's higway's dept?

Cheers.

Dave B.

Looked it up through my satmap access to current OS maps. The north south track crossing the railway is ORPA

The east west track at the co-ordinate you gave is a BOAT or whatever they are called these days. I can send you a download if you wish.

ORPA?

Other Roads with Public Access

Thanks, Hugh.

As Paul (the OP) says above, it appears to be all vehicular now, so must have been one of the last to get sorted out before NERCA sunk its teeth into the mess.

GLASS also list it at vehicular, both parts, and state that's as a result of OS map data, that in turn is derrived from the Definitave Map of the area.

Post NERCA, the presumption now is to the lowest status, so BOATS are now "Restricted Byways", open to everything EXCEPT that propelled buy mechanical means (Motor's to us.)

(There are many other instances where that change *could* screw with many things in remote areas. In principle, a minor road co-incident with a bridleway, could be non vehicular. A bit of a problem for anyone who lives down that way...)

Footpaths on OS 1:50,000 maps are shown as a line of small red dots. . . . . . . .

Bridleways, are a line of red dash's.

- - - - - - -

Restricted Byways (ex BOATS) are shown as red dot-dash marks. . - . - . - . WE CANNOT DRIVE THESE ANY MORE, sadly....

Full Byways that can be legaly driven (IF NOT TRO'd) are shown as.

• - + - + - + in red. (TRO = Traffic Regulation Order.)

ORPA's are shown as a string of "large" red dots, very distinctive and different to how a footpath is shown!

The problem for us is, that ORPA's are often poorly researched, even by the local authorities, so you realy do need to check with the relevant highways authority as to their exact status. On the ground too, they are often dificult to follow, especialy accross or past open farmland.

Also, it is quite common for a RoW to be TRO'd, so preventing it's use, but the signs either never get put up, get ripped down, or otherwise lost. The lack of a sign, does NOT mean it's garanteed "open".

TRO's can be permanent, Temporary or Seasonal. Some authorities play silly games with Permanent Temporary TRO's applied Seasonaly!

Then of course, you get the land owners and tennants, who can and often do place obstructions (illegaly) to try and prevent the way's use.

Parked farm machinery, Tree trunks, concrete blocks, piles of dirt, to planks of wood with nails sticking up, placed under water in ruts have all been found in the past, and everything in between. Any such illegal obsctructions, take photos and record it's location then report to the according local authority. If you can "abbate" the obstruction with no damage done, so be it. (As Paul did by towing one of the concrete blocks out of the way.) But you can only do the bare minimum to pass by, WITHOUT straying off, or damaging the right of way.

(I'm no lawyer, so don't take my word as gospel on this matter.)

Overall, it's a legal minefield out there now for us motorised users of unsurfaced rights of way. The GLASS (and GRAG) database(s) can help, but even then, they have no legal standing. The only way to be sure is to contact the authority who's area the RoW is in, and ask them. Most are suprisingly helpful when you get to the actual people involved. But it can be a struggle getting to them.

Remember, in the eyes of the law of this fair land (?) Ignorance is no excuse for getting it wrong. Also Plod now have some far reaching powers if they need. They could confiscate your vehicle if you're found in the wrong place. Unlikley the first time, but if you're repeatedly found "off route", it could happen. I believe they have done that with some motorcycle's in the not too distant past.

Take care peep's, be sensible, so we can all enjoy for as long as we can. Any obvious muppetry by idiots carving up ajacent land, or the surface of a RoW, try to descretely get any number plate details, or other obvious markings, so as to report to Plod etc.

And of course, just so it is said for the record, these are public rights of way, so valid Tax, MOT, Insurance and seatbelts used etc are all required items. "Green Lanes" are NOT "Off Road" by any means.

Cheers.

Dave B. (A GLASS member, if you hadn't guessed.)

No worries, the RoW officer assured me it waslegal to drive, that's good enough for me .. especially as I have it (had, can't find it now!) in writing .. ;)

Oh yes. We only have a very few green lanes around Doncaster and it's my aim to drive them all at least twice a year in an effort to keep them open.

This is the third I've reported as blocked and abated where possible then reported to get three sets of larger concrete obstructions removed by the council from other Byways .. Doncaster has a good online reporting scheme .. ;)

In message , DaveB writes

The Satmap outdoor GPS system I have gives on line access to current

Take care Hugh.

It's not unknown for intentional errors to creap into OS maps, it's one of the ways they use to keep track of who uses what data. One of the big motoring organisaitons got hauled over the coals a few years back for using unlicenced OS data I believe. Can't find the link to that article now.

Also, the RoW data on OS maps, is usualy out of date even when a new issue hits the street. The *Only* way to know 100%, is to ask the HA who's area it is.

Cheers.

Dave B..

In message , DaveB writes

This is legitimate service provided by the Satmap people to every purchaser of an Active10 satnav system used by walkers and mountain bikers. They provide a range of UK OS maps and overseas maps also which you purchase for example per county/national park/region. They also do overseas maps. They're not cheap so presumably a chunk is passed on to OS as a licence fee.

I believe ROW are now imported directly from the Definitive map.

The DM is a paper document, not online (except in Northants, and there's an outstanding debate as to it's legality, but no one has challenged them.)

Like an MOT that is only valid at the time it's done. The RoW data is only valid at the time you ask for it.

Unless your mobile device poll's all the uk highway authority databases in real time, or you're on some paid subscription list where all the HA's publish their latest RoW data at the time they change it, including all the transient TRO's etc. Then, like the rest of us, you'll be using stale data.

Take care.

Dave B.

In message , DaveB writes

My mobile device doesn't poll anything - I can look up the maps on line from my computer. I can then plot a route on line and down load it to the device. Similarly I can upload a track from the device and share it with every other user if I wish.

Hi Hugh.

But, that data is not always fully up to date, RoW wise. Unless, you see a signed and dated (in force) TRO sign on your travels, or you call/visit the appropriate RoW departments, covering the route you intend to travel.

Regards.

Dave B.

In message , DaveB writes

Hi Dave I don't disagree with you, but how many people go to that length of trouble every time they go out? I would imagine it's what they do if they hit an unexpected problem - which is where this thread started :-)