Defining And Maintaining Public Rights Of Way
What a Public Right of Way is
A public right of way is a way or path where the public has a right to pass along. The type or status of the way or path can be a:
- public footpath
- bridleway
- carriageway or byway or BOAT (Byway Open To All Traffic)
| Type | Rights and Waymarks |
|---|---|
| Footpaths | For walkers only. The waymark is a yellow arrow, often with a person walking. |
| Bridleway | A way for walkers, horse riders and cyclists. These are indicated by a blue arrow often with a horse and rider. |
| Byway (BOAT) | A way for walkers, horse riders, cyclists and motorised vehicles. Byways are shown by a red arrow and often a sign with the word \'byway\'. There are no by-ways in Poole. |
| Permissive Paths | (Black waymarks in Poole and Dorset) These waymarks show that a landowner has given special permission for the public to walk across his/her land. Some places have permissive Bridleways as well. These are not maintained by us and are not on the Definitive Map. The landowner may withdraw permission at any time. |
Maintenance of paths and rights of way
The Borough of Poole is responsible for the maintenance of the surface and signs for public rights of way. Landowners also have responsibilities to maintain rights of way. Adopted footpaths or footways (pavements next to the road) and cycleways are maintained to a higher standard due to their urban setting and higher levels of use.
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