Introduction

The right to cross private land by the public is known as a 'Public Right of Way'. The various types of right of way are collectively known as Highways. Landowners can grant other uses of the highway on the land they control. For example the landowner can drive a tractor down a footpath on their land.

The County Council is responsible for maintaining Definitive Maps of the public rights of way. The presence of a highway on the maps does not mean that additional rights over the highway do not exist nor does the lack of a highway on the maps mean that no public right of way exists over the land. The Oxfordshire maps are at a scale of 1:10,000 and can be downloaded from the County Council website. They are also available to be viewed on paper at the County Council offices in Eynsham (by appointment) or the maps for districts can be viewed in selected libraries - see the County Council website.

The rules and regulations that apply on roads also apply on all types of highways. For example, it is an offence to cycle recklessly, carelessly or without consideration for other users on a bridleway.