Who Looks After Public Rights of Way?
Lincolnshire County Council is responsible for the management of all public rights of way within the County.
Many public rights of way run across privately owned land and the responsibility for looking after rights of way is shared between the County Council and the landowner or farmer.
The County Council is responsible for:
- Signposting rights of way where they leave the road
- Waymarking paths along their route where necessary
- Keeping rights of way in reasonable repair and clearing surface vegetation
- Ensuring that they are free from obstructions
- Ensuring that farmers and landowners reinstate rights of way after ploughing or cropping
- Helping farmers and landowners to maintain stiles and gates in good condition
- Maintaining the Definitive Map and Statement, which is the legal record of public rights of way
- Consideration of applications for the legal diversion of public rights of way
Landowners and farmers are responsible for:
- Keeping all paths free from obstruction
- Cutting back overhanging vegetation
- Reinstatement of paths after ploughing and keeping them clear of growing crops
- Maintaining gates and stiles
- Not ploughing paths that run along a field edge
