Flintshire County Council

PRoW - definitions

All public rights of way are highways in law, a defined route over which the public have a right to pass and repass.  

In Flintshire there are 1056.2 km of public rights of way. These comprise public footpaths (938.5km), public bridleways (106.5km) and byways open to all traffic (BOATs) (11.2km).

Public footpath: a highway over which there is a right of way on foot only.  These generally do not include the footway alongside a public road.

Public bridleway: a highway over which there is a right of way on foot, on horseback or to lead a horse with or without the right to drive animals of any description along the highway. Bicyclists also have the right to use public bridleways, but they must give way to pedestrians and horse-riders.

It is a criminal offence to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle on public footpaths and public bridleways unless:

• you are the landowner;
• you have the express consent of the landowner;  or
• you have a private vehicular right of way that runs along the route.

Byway open to all traffic: 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 purpose for which footpaths and bridleways are so used.

If you use a motorised vehicle on a byway, open to all traffic you must ensure that is licensed and fit for use on public roads. As the driver, you must be licensed and insured.