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Recreation

Keeping Public Rights of Way Clear

Who is responsible for maintaining the many footpaths that criss-cross the village of Ilmington? This short article explains.

Published: 4 October 2024

Ilmington is blessed with having many public footpaths and bridleways within the parish which provide important access and recreational opportunities within the village and the surrounding countryside. In general they are well maintained but occasionally they become overgrown or obstructed. It is important that pathways are kept clear to provide safe and easy passage. Many of the pathways cross or are adjacent to privately owned land. The parish council therefore kindly remind landowners of their responsibilities as follows:

  1. Where a public footpath or bridleway crosses private land or is adjacent to private land, the landowners have a responsibility to ensure that there is a clear passageway. This means that hedges, bushes, trees, brambles, crops and other obstructions that inconvenience the passage of walkers, cyclists and horse riders, should be cut back and/or removed by the landowners.
  2. Landowners also have a responsibility for maintaining stiles and gateways along public paths and bridleways and help with materials for this may be available from Warwickshire County Council.

We have been fortunate in receiving help to maintain public rights of way over many years from the volunteers of the Cotswold Wardens who have kindly cleared pathways, repaired stiles, and installed kissing gates. Two of our most active local wardens have recently retired, and so we appeal to landowners to make sure they are aware of and fulfilling their legal obligation to keep pathways clear. The Cotswold Voluntary Wardens have limited resources covering the wider Cotswold National Landscape. They can be still called upon to help, but preferably only in circumstances where landowners find it impossible or very difficult to fulfil their obligations.

Further information:

Problems about Warwickshire Public Rights of Way can be reported online at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/rowreporting, and queries directed to the PROW team by email paths@warwickshire.gov.uk or telephone 01926 413427.

Interested in joining the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens?
Visit www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk/looking-after/volunteering/

Credits:

Image: Footpath into Ilmington by John Brightley, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Article written with help from local Voluntary Wardens.

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