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Can you legally cycle on a public right of way in Scotland?



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 16th 03, 03:35 PM
Simon Brooke
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Default Can you legally cycle on a public right of way in Scotland?

I'm just writing a paper for my community council on developing cycle
touring around here, and I was working on a list of landowners we'd
have to negotiate with, when it occurred to me that possibly it's
legal to cycle on a public right of way anyway, in which case the
problem is simpler. I _do_ cycle on most of the local off-road public
rights of way and (with one exception) have no trouble, but that may
just be because I'm local and known...

Does anyone know _for a fact_ whether or not it is generally legal to
cycle on established public rights of way in Scotland, and, if not,
how one distinguishes between routes it's legal to cycle and routes
it's only legal to walk? And how does the Right to Roam legislation
affect this (if at all)?

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; no eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn.
;; Jim Morrison
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  #2  
Old September 16th 03, 04:03 PM
Simon Mason
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Default Can you legally cycle on a public right of way in Scotland?


"Simon Brooke" wrote in message
. uk...
I'm just writing a paper for my community council on developing cycle
touring around here, and I was working on a list of landowners we'd
have to negotiate with, when it occurred to me that possibly it's
legal to cycle on a public right of way anyway, in which case the
problem is simpler. I _do_ cycle on most of the local off-road public
rights of way and (with one exception) have no trouble, but that may
just be because I'm local and known...

Does anyone know _for a fact_ whether or not it is generally legal to
cycle on established public rights of way in Scotland, and, if not,
how one distinguishes between routes it's legal to cycle and routes
it's only legal to walk? And how does the Right to Roam legislation
affect this (if at all)?


I think if it's a footpath, you are not allowed to cycle, but if it's a
bridle path, then cyclists and horse riders can use it. The ordnance survey
map will show both types.
--
Simon Mason
Anlaby
East Yorkshire.
53°44'N 0°26'W
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net




  #4  
Old September 16th 03, 05:13 PM
Richard Tibbitt
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Default Can you legally cycle on a public right of way in Scotland?

Simon Brooke wrote:

I'm just writing a paper for my community council on developing cycle
touring around here, and I was working on a list of landowners we'd
have to negotiate with, when it occurred to me that possibly it's
legal to cycle on a public right of way anyway, in which case the
problem is simpler. I _do_ cycle on most of the local off-road public
rights of way and (with one exception) have no trouble, but that may
just be because I'm local and known...


In England it appears you are permitted to cycle on all Public Rights
of Way except a footpath - theres a good description at
http://www.countryside.gov.uk/access/accesspage03.htm


Does anyone know _for a fact_ whether or not it is generally legal to
cycle on established public rights of way in Scotland, and, if not,
how one distinguishes between routes it's legal to cycle and routes
it's only legal to walk? And how does the Right to Roam legislation
affect this (if at all)?


Scottish Natural Heritage has an interesting paper about rights of way
in Scotland at http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/access/sr-sprow.pdf and the
Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003
http://www.hmso.gov.uk/legislation/s...3/20030002.htm
defines where you can and cannot now go in Scotland - IANAL but it
doesnt seem to specifically exclude cycles from access to land that
you appear to able to enter on foot (ie it only excludes motorised
vehicles). It also requires a network of core paths to set up and
categorized as to the allowed traffic over the next 3 years - these
look like they will be similar to the English Public Rights of Way.


--
Richard Tibbitt
Strathdon, Scotland
  #6  
Old September 16th 03, 05:50 PM
David Hansen
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Default Can you legally cycle on a public right of way in Scotland?

On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 16:16:40 GMT someone who may be "elyob"
wrote this:-

"In Scotland, however, different legislation applies and there is no legally
recognised record of rights of way. The best record at a national level is
the National Catalogue of Rights of Way (CROW) which has been compiled by
theScottish Rights of Way and Access Society (Scotways), in partnership with
Scottish Natural Heritage and with the co-operation of local authorities."


I suggest that the original poster refers to them, starting at
http://www.scotways.com/



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.
  #7  
Old September 16th 03, 08:41 PM
Dan Gregory
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Default Can you legally cycle on a public right of way in Scotland?


"Simon Brooke" wrote in message
Good. So it's legal to cycle for recreation *anywhere* in Scotland
except for the bits listed in section 6 - i.e. not across someone's
garden or too close to a house,

Reminds me of a friend of mine who lives in a castle in Scotland. (Roofless
& derelict when he bought it).
He came home one day to find people picknicking just outside. They said to
him they had every right to be there. So, he discreetly followed them home.
The next weekend he and his wife set up their picnic table and barbecue on
their suburban semi front lawn, They were not quite so polite as him when
they returned to find him - but they did get the message!
All the best
Dan Gregory


  #8  
Old September 16th 03, 08:50 PM
Paul in D&G
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Default Can you legally cycle on a public right of way in Scotland?

On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 17:35:05 GMT, Simon Brooke
wrote:


Good. So it's legal to cycle for recreation *anywhere* in Scotland
except for the bits listed in section 6 - i.e. not across someone's
garden or too close to a house, not through someone's tent or caravan,
not through a yard, building, or building site, not through a working
quarry or open-cast mine, not through a school, a sports field or a
golf course, not through _the middle_ of a growing crop, but pretty
much anywhere else.


I would agree with that, I go everywhere with my bike here in
Dumfriesshire and have never been challenged. But maybe it is because
I am local. This topic was discussed in an early editoin of MBR years
ago and their evidence stated that the bike was just an aid to the
pedestrian, same a walking stick. So take a stick or take a bike :-)



Paul

"And the sand-castle virtues are all swept away
in the tidal destruction the moral melee.
The elastic retreat rings the close of play
as the last wave uncovers the newfangled way."
-Thick as a Brick, 1972
  #9  
Old September 17th 03, 07:05 AM
Martin Bulmer
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Default Can you legally cycle on a public right of way in Scotland?

In ,
David Marsh expounded sagaciously:
What's the attachment on your posts, David? Only OE is removing it before it
lets me read it, which is quite clever. I didn't know OE could do that.
--


Martin Bulmer

Pie Conservation Threat




  #10  
Old September 17th 03, 10:28 AM
Roos Eisma
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Default Can you legally cycle on a public right of way in Scotland?

Paul in D&G writes:

I am local. This topic was discussed in an early editoin of MBR years
ago and their evidence stated that the bike was just an aid to the
pedestrian, same a walking stick. So take a stick or take a bike :-)


Reminds me of the discussion I had years ago with the Dutch railways. We
had a family type railway card which allowed unlimited travel, for me "and
one dog". I tried to convince them that my bike was just some sort of big pet
:-)

Roos
 




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