Consolidated list of Definitive Map (DM) changes since DM2015 Rosalinde Emrys-Roberts (to June 18) and Richard Cuthbert (Dec 18 on), of the Herts County Council Rights of Way

Service, report on progress with the Definitive Map. In December 2015, we sealed our latest Definitive Map—’DM2015’. In future, the working copy of the Definitive Map available on the web will be updated more regularly – probably on a monthly basis. Since that consolidation, the following routes have been added or existing rights of way changed. They are listed by District and the status of the route and its location described.

Broxbourne  A footpath has been recorded in , leading south from Ashdown Crescent to Cadmore Lane.  The footpath crossing the railway west of Dobb’s Weir in has been diverted over a new railway bridge with steps.  In Goffs Oak, a footpath has been recorded connecting Cuffley Hill (just east of Jones Road) northwards to The Drive.

Dacorum  A new footpath has been dedicated in , leading south east from Footpath 5 alongside the A41 to Footpath 1, adjacent to junction 20 of the M25.  A new footpath has been recorded in Potton End, leading north east from Brown’s Spring through woodland to connect with Nettledon & Potton End Footpath 31.  The width of the footpath leading from Wilstone Green to Wilstone reservoir has been recorded following enforcement action.

East Herts  The bridleway crossing the A120 Bishop’s Stortford Bypass south of Wickham Hall is now correctly shown in the Definitive Map records.  The footpath crossing Gardners north of Gardners End, Ardeley has been diverted to join Back Lane opposite Drinkwater Wood.  A length of restricted byway has been recorded linking Restricted Byways 8 and 9 with the Hare Street Road to the east of the town.  In Bishop’s Stortford, a footpath has been recorded linking Manor Road to the footpath running through Hockerill Anglo-European College.  The footpath running through Farthing Hall north of the Cowper Arms Hotel, Letty Green has been diverted to run closer to the property boundary, without affecting where it starts from the road.  The footpath crossing the railway at the north end of Thorley Street has been diverted over a new railway bridge with steps.  Three bridleways have been recorded in Ardeley and on the boundary with , linking Lye Lane in Wood End, southwards to the road via Sanders Green, and northwards to Back Lane, much of it along the Old Bourne.  In Balls Park, , the footpaths and bridleways around the park—including links between the London Road and Mangrove Road—which were required as part of the development—have now been recorded.  East of , two restricted byways have been recorded at Bucklers Hall Farm near Perry Green, running east to link Bucklers Hall Road with Brook Lane and another nearby BOAT. The record of the alignment of a nearby footpath was also corrected.  In Widford, the continuation of the restricted byway which runs south of Crackney Wood and by the sewage works to Pegs Lane has been recorded.  North of Little by the parish boundary with Essendon, the footpath linking Bedwell Avenue (bridleway) to Ashfield Farm south of Howe Green has been upgraded to bridleway.  In Wood End near Ardeley, a footpath which led south-eastwards from Highbury Farm to Thrift Wood has been diverted to run northwards from Thrift Wood to join the road just south of Coates Manor Farm. A new footpath link has also been created leading west from Thrift Wood to join the bridleway known as Lye Lane.  A public footpath ( 35) has been recorded running from the B1368 just south of Hare Street eastwards to join Buntingford BR 23 at the parish boundary. This forms a continuous right of way on foot between the B1368 and Owls Lane.

Hertsmere  Footpaths 27 and 31, which run through the fields separating the village and the M25, and were affected by the motorway widening works, have been diverted.  Nightingale Lane, skirting the Moatfield recreation ground in and linking Bournehall Lane and Bushey Footpath 23 with Bournehall Avenue has been recorded as a bridleway.  The last section of the bridleway (formerly footpath) linking Radlett Lane (south of Park tea rooms) and Woodhall Lane to the west of Shenley has now been recorded.  Two footpaths have been recorded in Bushey, off Sparrows Hearne, to the south of the police station. One links south-westwards to Primrose Gardens, and the other northwards through to Highland Drive.  A bridleway has been added in on the Munden House estate, linking the bridleway through the ford of the River Colne at Drop Lane, along the south side of the river to join the bridleway which runs on the south side the pumping station.  Two alleyways in Bushey have been recorded as public footpaths. One runs between Primrose Gardens and Sparrows Herne (Bushey FP73) and the other between Sparrows Herne and Highland Drive (Bushey FP74).

North Herts  The short length (less than 100 yards) of footpath running through gardens between Horn Hill and Buttons Lane, Whitwell has been extinguished.  An unadopted road in leading from the High Street to Cowards Lane called ‘the Opening’ has been recorded as a Restricted Byway.  The continuation of the track known as Lilleyhoo Lane in Lilley, has been recorded as a Restricted Byway. It runs north-westwards from the public road to join the footpath and bridleway, filling in what was a gap in the records.  In Holwell, the bridleway starting opposite Lordship Farm on the Pirton Road has been diverted. Its junction with Pirton Road has been moved a short distance to the south.  In Barley, the footpath running north-westwards from opposite Horseshoe Farm to the B1039 has been upgraded to bridleway.  A bridleway has been recorded along the parish boundary between Reed and on the east side of Bush Wood, linking a BOAT to a bridleway.  West of the A1 at , a new footpath has been created linking Park to Norton Green. At the same time, two footpaths have been extinguished; the first along the driveway to the north of the house from Lake Lodge to the gates and the second (an historic route) from near the church north to the A1 at junction 7.  North of Lilley, the footpath leading northwards from opposite Pond Farm to the Icknield Way has been diverted out of the gardens of the cottages close to Pond Farm.  A restricted byway (Barley RB18), almost 1.2 km long, has been recorded running from Bogmore Road at Shaftenhoe End near Barley southward to Bell Lane.

St Albans  A footpath has been recorded in leading southwards from Salisbury Road to the Lower Luton Road.  A short section of urban footpath has been recorded in leading south west from Bassett Close to Crown Street.  The bridleway joining the A414 by the nursery at Burston Manor Farm (north of Junction 21a of the M25) has been widened.  A restricted byway has been recorded in running to the west of Symondshyde Great Wood between Hammond Lane and Fairfold Farm.  Just north of Smallford, as part of a development a new bridleway has been dedicated leading eastwards from Oaklands Lane to join the rights of way network in the old Hatfield Aerodrome area.  Woodrake Lane which runs from Barley Mow Lane in south to the A414 has been recorded as a byway open to all traffic (BOAT 60) for most of its length but as a bridleway where it crosses the verge of the A414.  The eastern part of Featherbed Lane in St Stephens’s parish has been recorded as a byway open to all traffic (BOAT 96) between Blunts Lane and the M1. A permissive path along the eastern side of the motorway provides a through route north to Bedmond Lane.

Three Rivers  A section of Rickmansworth Footpath 65 has been diverted to run on a more direct line between the bridges over the two arms of the River Colne.  In , Gypsy Lane which leads north from the Road to the railway bridge has been upgraded from footpath to bridleway.  A footpath has been recorded running around the Sports Ground south of Yorke Mead Primary School in , together with a link from Fuller Way by the school.  On the county boundary of Rickmansworth, a Byway Open to All Traffic has been recorded along the line of the old Uxbridge Road at West Hyde House. A restricted byway has also been recorded along the line of Shire Lane along the county boundary; and the recording of Shire Lane in Buckinghamshire and has been clarified where it will be affected by HS2.  In Rickmansworth, the footpath leading eastwards out of Caravan Lane between the railway and St Joan of Arc School has been diverted out of the playing field, and upgraded to bridleway.  Three paths, formerly listed as public footpaths, have been recorded as public bridleways. They are BR25 and Rickmansworth BR18 and BR19. Together they form a continuous bridleway from Copmans Wick in Chorleywood to Long Lane in Rickmansworth close to Junction 17, M25.

Welwyn Hatfield  A short section of footpath has been recorded in Digswell linking Mornington Crescent with New Road.  Two footpath cul de sacs, left over from development at the university, have been extinguished by the District council and removed from the Definitive Map.  The Definitive Map has now been changed to show the diversion of the footpath running to the north of Tudor Road in to avoid the tennis courts.  In Cuffley, a footpath has been recorded joining Starling Lane, via Oak Lane, to Tolmers Road  In Hatfield, west of the A1M at junction 3, the footpath affected by various road widening schemes has now been extinguished.  FP25 which runs between the Ayot Greenway and Homerswood Lane has been diverted at its eastern end to run north of Brick Kiln Cottage.  Three bridleways, Ridge BR44, BR90 and North Mymms BR91, have been recorded and part of North Mymms footpath FP1 has been upgraded to a bridleway. The effect is to confirm alternative routes for walkers and a continuous bridleway for cyclists and horse riders between Tollgate Road in North Mymms via Redwell Farm to the B556.

The routes listed should now be open and signposted for use. Please contact us if you find anything that needs to be reported.