Green lane
Encyclopedia
A green lane is a type of road
, usually an unpaved rural
route.
or even ancient trackway
s.
Modern traffic restrictions may apply. Many green lanes are open only to non-vehicular traffic, and are designated as a bridleway.
Green lane driving, using four wheel drive
vehicles (SUVs) is popular with some, though has raised some environmental concerns due to the increased erosion and associated noise pollution.
Under public rights-of-way (PROW) law, the concept of a "green lane" (and byway) doesn't exist. The various rights-of-way may be old roads (i.e. a green lane) but have different legal rights applying:
The Countryside Act 1968 required all highway authorities
to reclassify RUPPs in their area – occasionally as footpaths but in practise generally as bridleways unless public vehicular rights were demonstrated to exist in which case it would become a Byway Open to All Traffic. This process involved extensive research into historic usage and often public enquiries. Section 47 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/Acts/acts2000/00037--h.htm#47 set a time limit of 2026 for every highway authority to complete the reclassification exercise. The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006
(NERC) http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2006/60016--i.htm#66 changed the deadline to the 2 May 2006.
This change is significant as RUPPs allowed motorised vehicular access, while RBs do not. This change resulted in significant conflict between user groups. Some highway authorities
neglected to carry out their responsibilities under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949
. This has meant that some counties, e.g. Somerset and Wiltshire, have extremely minimal rights of way available to motorised vehicles, while other more diligent counties, e.g. Kent, have a considerably more extensive network still available to vehicular users. Its is calculated that before the CROW Act approximately 5% of the national rights of way network was open to vehicular use, while post CROW this has halved to around 2 to 3%.
The various users of Rights of Way disagree (often passionately) about the other users' rights. Walker groups (such as the Ramblers' Association) advocate the removal of vehicular rights on BOATs. Cyclists and equestrians groups fear for their rights, while vehicular use of public rights of way is increasingly being seen as unacceptable and has been targeted for further restrictions. The rights of vehicle users are represented by the Green Lane Association, also known as GLASS and the Trail Riders Fellowship who oppose these restrictions on the basis that a road is just that, regardless of the type of surface.
In Jersey
, a Green Lane is a road designated as priority for pedestrians, cyclists and horse-riders to which a 15 mph speed limit
applies. The first Green Lanes were introduced in St Peter
in 1994. All parishes
, except St Saviour
and Trinity
have since joined the Green Lane network, but since St Saviour and Trinity adjoin across the Island the Green Lanes in the West and in the East do not link up.
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
, usually an unpaved rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
route.
England and Wales
In particular, a green lane is unsurfaced, and may be so infrequently used that there is no wearing of the surface, allowing vegetation to colonise freely, hence 'green'. Many green lanes are ancient routes that have existed for millennia such as hollow ways, Drover's roads, ridgewaysRidgeway (track)
Ridgeways are a particular type of ancient road that exploits the hard surface of hilltop ridges for use as unpaved, zero-maintenance roads, though they often have the disadvantage of steeper gradients along their courses, and sometimes quite narrow widths. Before the advent of turnpikes or toll...
or even ancient trackway
Ancient trackway
Ancient trackway can refer to any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity. Such paths existed from the earliest prehistoric times and in every inhabited part of the globe...
s.
Modern traffic restrictions may apply. Many green lanes are open only to non-vehicular traffic, and are designated as a bridleway.
Green lane driving, using four wheel drive
Four Wheel Drive
The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, more often known as Four Wheel Drive or just FWD, was founded in 1909 in Clintonville, Wisconsin, as the Badger Four-Wheel Drive Auto Company by Otto Zachow and William Besserdich.-History:...
vehicles (SUVs) is popular with some, though has raised some environmental concerns due to the increased erosion and associated noise pollution.
Under public rights-of-way (PROW) law, the concept of a "green lane" (and byway) doesn't exist. The various rights-of-way may be old roads (i.e. a green lane) but have different legal rights applying:
- A footpath has pedestrian rights.
- A bridleway allows pedestrians, horse traffic and cyclists.
- A restricted byway (RB) allows pedestrians, horse traffic and vehicles other than mechanically propelled vehicles (e.g. bicycles, horse-drawn carriages) - replaced the Road Used as a Public Path (RUPP) classification
- A Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT) which can be used by 4x4s (SUVs) and motorcyclists (that are road legal - because it has the same rights as any "normal" road).
- An Unclassified County Road (UCR). They are a way that is maintained (repaired) at public expense but whose public rights are uncertain. They all have minimum of footpath rights but often have higher (i.e. bridleway or vehicular) rights. They are not shown on the definitive map. UCR simply means they are shown in a list required to be kept under section 36(6) of the Highways Act 1980 (c. 66) (list of highways maintainable at public expense),
The Countryside Act 1968 required all highway authorities
Highway Authority
A highway authority is a name given to a body responsible for the administration of public roads.-India:The National Highways Authority of India is the national authority for the management of a network of over 60,000 km of National Highways in India...
to reclassify RUPPs in their area – occasionally as footpaths but in practise generally as bridleways unless public vehicular rights were demonstrated to exist in which case it would become a Byway Open to All Traffic. This process involved extensive research into historic usage and often public enquiries. Section 47 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 is a UK Act of Parliament which came into force on 30 November 2000.As of September 2007, not all sections of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act have yet come into force...
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/Acts/acts2000/00037--h.htm#47 set a time limit of 2026 for every highway authority to complete the reclassification exercise. The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006
Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006
The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-Section 107 - Commencment:The following orders have been made under this section:* *...
(NERC) http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2006/60016--i.htm#66 changed the deadline to the 2 May 2006.
This change is significant as RUPPs allowed motorised vehicular access, while RBs do not. This change resulted in significant conflict between user groups. Some highway authorities
Highway Authority
A highway authority is a name given to a body responsible for the administration of public roads.-India:The National Highways Authority of India is the national authority for the management of a network of over 60,000 km of National Highways in India...
neglected to carry out their responsibilities under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949
National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949
The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which created the National Parks Commission which later became the Countryside Commission and then the Countryside Agency, which became Natural England when it merged with English Nature in...
. This has meant that some counties, e.g. Somerset and Wiltshire, have extremely minimal rights of way available to motorised vehicles, while other more diligent counties, e.g. Kent, have a considerably more extensive network still available to vehicular users. Its is calculated that before the CROW Act approximately 5% of the national rights of way network was open to vehicular use, while post CROW this has halved to around 2 to 3%.
The various users of Rights of Way disagree (often passionately) about the other users' rights. Walker groups (such as the Ramblers' Association) advocate the removal of vehicular rights on BOATs. Cyclists and equestrians groups fear for their rights, while vehicular use of public rights of way is increasingly being seen as unacceptable and has been targeted for further restrictions. The rights of vehicle users are represented by the Green Lane Association, also known as GLASS and the Trail Riders Fellowship who oppose these restrictions on the basis that a road is just that, regardless of the type of surface.
Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
, a Green Lane is a road designated as priority for pedestrians, cyclists and horse-riders to which a 15 mph speed limit
Speed limit
Road speed limits are used in most countries to regulate the speed of road vehicles. Speed limits may define maximum , minimum or no speed limit and are normally indicated using a traffic sign...
applies. The first Green Lanes were introduced in St Peter
Saint Peter, Jersey
Saint Peter is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is in the west central part of the island. It is the only parish with two separate coastlines, stretching from St. Ouen's Bay in the west to St. Aubin's Bay in the south, and thereby cutting St. Brelade off from other...
in 1994. All parishes
Parishes of Jersey
The Channel Island of Jersey is divided into twelve administrative districts or parishes. All have access to the sea and are named after the saints to whom their ancient parish churches are dedicated.:* Saint Helier...
, except St Saviour
Saint Saviour, Jersey
-Notable sites:*Highlands College*De La Salle College*St. Michael's Preparatory School*Hautlieu School*Grainville Cricket Ground*Grainville School*Jersey Evening Post offices and printing works-External links:**...
and Trinity
Trinity, Jersey
Trinity is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is in the north east of the island.Trinity has the reputation of being the most rural of Jersey's parishes, being the third-largest parish by surface area with the third-smallest population. The parish covers 6,817 vergées...
have since joined the Green Lane network, but since St Saviour and Trinity adjoin across the Island the Green Lanes in the West and in the East do not link up.
External links
- GLASS - Green Lane Association
- LARA - Land Access and Recreation Association
- TRF - Trail Riders Fellowship
- Access map for Devon includes byways.
- Access map for Cornwall includes 126 miles (202.8 km) of byways.
- Byway database for Sussex, Kent and Surrey over 400 green lane byways.
- Photos of possible or actual green lanes occurring on geograph