Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Public Rights of Way

The Authority has a statutory responsibility to produce and maintain the records of all public rights of way with powers to promote and publicise access to the countryside particularly in relation to leisure and recreational activities.

The Council has a statutory duty to "assert and protect" the rights of the public to use and enjoy all public rights of way.

The principal duties can be summarised as follows:

• To assert and protect the rights of the public to use and enjoy all their highways
• To prevent so far as possible the stopping up or obstruction of all highways
• To enforce the restoration of footpaths & bridleways unlawfully ploughed or disturbed
• To signpost & waymark footpaths, bridleways & byways
• To keep the Definitive Map under continuous review. This shows the location of all public rights of way
• To make modification orders to take account of events requiring the map to be modified
• To keep copies of the Definitive Map and statement, together with copies of any subsequent modification and reclassification orders, available for the public inspection
• To draw the attention of the public to this availability and the right to apply for modification orders to be made
• To review and publish plans for improving rights of way in the Authority's areas
• Establish a local access forum for the area

Also see Frequently Asked Questions