Obstructions on Rights of Way

What should I do if I find an obstruction?

Although Rotherham's network of rights of way is well maintained and clearly defined, you may occasionally encounter an obstruction. Anything which takes either part or the whole highway from use by the public can be considered to be an obstruction and should be reported to the highway authority. If the authority orders an obstruction to be removed within a specified time and it is not removed within that period, legal action can be taken to remove it and recover costs from the person concerned.

If you encounter an obstruction on a right of way whilst walking or riding you may remove just enough of the obstruction to allow you to pass. However you must be careful not to let livestock escape. If your way is blocked by someone who you believe to be the landowner, you must not use or threaten force against them or their property, although you can politely but firmly continue to exercise your rights.

Alternatively you may pass around the obstruction, and deviate from the line of the right of way. Although if the land which you are deviating onto is in the ownership of another landowner you may be trespassing.

You are not entitled to remove anything that does not obstruct a path but which you feel is dangerous to path users, such as a barbed wire fence alongside the path. If you report this to the highway authority they may be able to have the danger removed.

 Report a Problem

The majority of obstructions are immediately apparent. A landowner may have erected a fence across a right of way or a path may have become overgrown by encroaching vegetation. However, a number of situations are less obvious and whilst a route may be obstructed, members of the public are sometimes unsure of there legal position.

The questions listed below are often asked by members of the public in relation to situations which may be encountered from time to time.

 Can a farmer Plough out a public right of way or allow it to become obstructed by Crops?

 Is it legal to keep a bull in a field which is crossed by a public right of way?

 Can dogs be tethered across a public right of way?

 Am I allowed to use a route which is signed as a public right of way if it also signed as being private?

 Can a landowner Shoot near to a public right of way?

 Public Rights of Way home page