Having read the cycling on the pavement thread, I was just wondering, how do you know if a path is a ‘footway’ and thus illegal to ride on? I ask because near me there is a paved track near a busy road – it doesn’t look like the sort of pavement you get in town centres and isn’t particularly well maintained. Do I automatically assume it is illegal to ride on it? Are there any guidlines/rules as to what constitues a ‘footway’?

i would assume its basically anything specificity constructed that isn’t the roads or marked as something else. ie everything is a footway unless noted otherwise

Yikes. So unless it is a Bridleway, BOAT or whatever then you can’t ride on it. That makes me a fugitive from the law.

riding on a footpath isn’t illegal, at worst it’s a form of trespass – which isn’t necessarily a crime…

It’s only illegal if you get caught 😈

But riding on a ‘footway’ is illegal, apparently…

A footway is the paved or tarmac area used by pedestrians alongside a carriageway used by vehicles. Footways are looked after by your Local Area Office

You can report a fault here

A footpath is the name given to a Public Right of Way which is restricted for use only by pedestrians. Footpaths are often found in the countryside but there are many in urban areas too. Footpaths are looked after by Public Rights of Way

http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/ecc/ECCWebsite/dis/faq.jsp?channelOid=14492&guideOid=16918&oid=17607

Useful, Stoner.

ahwiles – riding on a footpath isn’t illegal, at worst it’s a form of trespass – which isn’t necessarily a crime…

How? one, riding on a footpath is illegal and two, you cant be done for trespass unless you do damage which its highly unlikely that you would

riding on a footpath is illegal and two, you cant be done for trespass unless you do damage which its highly unlikely that you would

podge, riding on a footpath is not illegal. It is a trespass that may or may not have a remedy for damages in a civil court. The only way of escalating the trespass (in somce cases but not all to a criminal offence) is through aggravation, by tresspassing on designated areas (some MOD sites) or breaching local by-laws (such as Malvern Hills).

Podge, it IS illegal when a local council by-law has been passed, until then, cycling on a footpath is not a criminal offence (illegal).

(my understanding / interpretation of the rules/laws as i read them)

it IS anti-social, and probably best avoided, but unfortunately, it is also a lot of fun…

ho-hum.

I stand corrected, cheers guys

hi podge! – you make a very good point tho’ – you can’t be done for trespass unless ‘they’ can prove you’re there with intent to cause damage/theft.

i’ve never claimed to be a good person, and my use of ‘cheeky’ trails has increased a bit in recent times.

and i’ve been asking myself, are these cheeky trails even more fun BECAUSE it’s naughty? – i honestly don’t know, but suspect the answer might be ‘yes’.

feel free to judge me.

Hello,
I’ve ridden cheeky trails loads but i don’t think they are any more or less fun just because you are not supposed to be there. for me they are generally just to make a loop or to avoid the main road.