Countryside Act 1968

Public rights of way E+W+S

27 Signposting of footpaths and bridleways. E+W

(1) A highway authority, after consultation with the owner or occupier of the land concerned, shall have power to erect and maintain signposts along any footpath [F1 [F2 bridleway or] [F2 bridleway, restricted byway or] byway] for which they are the highway authority.

(2) Subject to subsection (3) below, at every point where a footpath [F1 [F2 bridleway or] [F2 bridleway, restricted byway or] byway] leaves a metalled road the highway authority shall in exercise of their power under subsection (1) above erect and maintain a signpost—

(a) indicating that the footpath [F1 [F2 bridleway or] [F2 bridleway, restricted byway or] byway] is a public footpath [F1 [F2 bridleway or] [F2 bridleway, restricted byway or] byway], and

(b) showing, so far as the highway authority consider convenient and appropriate, where the footpath [F1 [F2 bridleway or] [F2 bridleway, restricted byway or] byway ]leads, and the distance to any place or places named on the signpost.

(3) A highway authority need not erect a signpost in accordance with subsection (2) above at a particular site if the highway authority, after consulting the council of the parish in which the site is situated, or as the case may be the chairman of the parish meeting for the parish, not having a parish council, in which the site is situated, are satisfied that it is not necessary, and if the parish council, or as the case may be the chairman of the parish meeting, agree.

(4) It shall also be the duty of a highway authority in exercise of their powers under subsection (1) above to erect such signposts as may in the opinion of the highway authority be required to assist persons unfamiliar with the locality to follow the course of a footpath [F1 [F3 bridleway or ] [F3 bridleway, restricted byway or] byway].

(5) With the consent of the highway authority, any other person may erect and maintain signposts along a footpath [F4 [F3 bridleway or] [F3 bridleway, restricted byway or] byway].

(6) [F5 Section 131(2) of the M1 Highways Act 1980 (destruction or defacement of a traffic sign)] shall apply to a signpost erected or placed along a footpath [F4 [F3 bridleway or] [F3 bridleway, restricted byway or] byway] in pursuance of this section as it applies to a traffic sign placed on or near a highway . . . F6

(7) In this section (and in the amendments made by this section in other enactments) references to signposts shall include references to other signs or notices serving the same purpose and references to the erection of a signpost shall include references to positioning any such other sign or notice.

[F7 (8) In this section “byway” means a byway open to all traffic, that is to say, a highway over which the public have a right of way for vehicular and all other kinds of traffic, but which is used by the public mainly for the purposes for which footpaths and bridleways are so used [F8 , and “restricted byway” has the same meaning as in Part 2 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000] .]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words substituted by Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69, SIF 4:5), s. 65(1)

F2 Words in s. 27(1)(2) substituted (E.W.) (2.5.2006 for E., 11.5.2006 for W.) by Restricted Byways (Application and Consequential Amendment of Provisions) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1177), reg. 1(2)(4), Sch. Pt. I (see S.I. 2006/1172, art. 2(a)-(d) (with art. 3) and S.I. 2006/1279, art. 2(a)-(d) (with art. 3))

F3 Words in s. 27(4)(5)(6) substituted (E.W.) (2.5.2006 for E., 11.5.2006 for W.) by Restricted Byways (Application and Consequential Amendment of Provisions) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1177), reg. 1(2)(4), Sch. Pt. I (see S.I. 2006/1172, art. 2(a)-(d) (with art. 3) and S.I. 2006/1279, art. 2(a)-(d) (with art. 3))

F4 Words substituted by Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69, SIF 4:5), s. 65(1)

F5 Words substituted by Highways Act 1980 (c. 66, SIF 59), Sch. 24 para. 17(a)

F6 Words repealed by Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (c. 27, SIF 107:1), Sch. 14

F7 S. 27(8) inserted by Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69, SIF 4:5), s. 65(2)

F8 Words in s. 27(8) inserted (E.W.) (2.5.2006 for E., 11.5.2006 for W.) by Restricted Byways (Application and Consequential Amendment of Provisions) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1177), reg. 1(2)(4), Sch. Pt. I (see S.I. 2006/1172, art. 2(a)-(d) (with art. 3) and S.I. 2006/1279, art. 2(a)-(d) (with art. 3))

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 27 applied (E.W.) (2.5.2006 for E., 11.5.2006 for W.) by Restricted Byways (Application and Consequential Amendment of Provisions) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1177), reg. 1(2)(4), 2(1), Sch. Pt. I (see S.I. 2006/1172, art. 2(a)-(d) (with art. 3) and S.I. 2006/1279, art. 2(a)-(d) (with art. 3))

C2 S. 27(1) functions made exercisable concurrently (E.W) (with effect in accordance with art. 25(1) of the amending S.I.) by The Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Establishment of Conservation Board) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1777), arts. 1, 25(2)(xx) (with art. 35)

C3 S. 27(1) functions made exercisable concurrently (E.W) (with effect in accordance with art. 25(1) of the amending S.I.) by The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Establishment of Conservation Board) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1778), arts. 2, 25(1), (1), (2)(xx) (with art. 35)

C4 S. 27(4) functions made exercisable concurrently (E.W) (with effect in accordance with art. 25(1) of the amending S.I.) by The Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Establishment of Conservation Board) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1777), arts. 1, 25(2)(xx) (with art. 35)

C5 S. 27(4) functions made exercisable concurrently (E.W) (with effect in accordance with art. 25(1) of the amending S.I.) by The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Establishment of Conservation Board) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1778), arts. 2, 25(1), (1), (2)(xx) (with art. 35)

Marginal Citations

M1 1980 c. 66(59).

F9 28, 29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E+W

Textual Amendments

F9 S. 28, 29 repealed by Highways Act 1980 (c. 66, SIF 59), Sch. 25

30 Riding of pedal bicycles on bridleways. E+W

(1) Any member of the public shall have, as a right of way, the right to ride a bicycle, [F10 not being a mechanically propelled vehicle], on any bridleway, but in exercising that right cyclists shall give way to pedestrians and persons on horseback.

(2) Subsection (1) above has effect subject to any orders made by a local authority, and to any byelaws.

(3) The rights conferred by this section shall not affect the obligations of the highway authority, or of any other person, as respects the maintenance of the bridleway, and this section shall not create any obligation to do anything to facilitate the use of the bridleway by cyclists.

(4) Subsection (1) above shall not affect any definition of “bridleway” in this or any other Act.

[F11 (5) In this section “mechanically propelled vehicle” does not include a vehicle falling within paragraph (c) of section 189(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.]

F12 (6)(7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F10 Words in s. 30(1) substituted (30.1.2001) by 2000 c. 37, ss. 67, 103(2), Sch. 7 para. 2(1)(2)

F11 S. 30(5) substituted (30.1.2001) by 2000 c. 37, ss. 67, 103(2), Sch. 7 para. 2(1)(3)

F12 S. 30(6)(7) repealed by Road Traffic Act 1972 (c. 20, SIF 107:1), Sch. 9 Pt. I

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C6 S. 30 amended (prosp.) by 2000 c. 37, ss. 53(5), 103(3)

C7 S. 30(1) excluded by Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69, SIF 4:5), s. 66(3)

31 Public paths: amendments as respects procedural and minor matters. E+W

The Acts mentioned in Schedule 3 to this Act shall be amended in accordance with that Schedule.

F13 32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E+W+S

Textual Amendments

F13 S. 32 repealed by Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (c. 27, SIF 107:1), Sch. 14

F14 33—35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E+W

Textual Amendments

F14 Ss. 33—35 repealed by Local Government Act 1974 (c. 7, SIF 81:1), Sch. 8

F15 36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E+W

Textual Amendments

F15 S. 36 repealed by Derelict Land Act 1982 (c. 42, SIF 46:4), Sch.