www.defra.gov.uk Making the best of byways A practical guide for local authorities managing and maintaining byways which carry motor vehicles December 2005 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Nobel House 17 Smith Square London SW1P 3JR Telephone 020 7238 6000 Website: www.defra.gov.uk © Crown copyright 2005 Copyright in the typographical arrangement and design rests with the Crown. This publication (excluding the logo) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium provided that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Crown copyright with the title and source of the publication specified. Further copies of this publication are available from: Defra Publications Admail 6000 London SW1A 2XX Tel: 08459 556000 Email:
[email protected] This document is also available on the Defra website. Published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Printed in the UK, November 2005, on material that contains a minimum of 100% recycled fibre for uncoated paper and 75% recycled fibre for coated paper. PB 11358 Making the best of byways A practical guide for local authorities managing and maintaining byways which carry motor vehicles December 2005 Contents Contents 1. Introduction 1 1.1 using this guide 1 1.2 terms and phrases used in this guide 3 2. Factors to be considered 4 2.1 conflicts between user groups 6 2.2 the local rights of way improvement plan 11 2.3 the durability of the byway 14 2.4 the condition of the byway 17 2.5 the uses of the byway 19 2.6 hedgerow and tree protection 20 2.7 the heritage of the byway and its surroundings 21 2.8 ecological sensitivity associated with the byway 21 2.9 management approach 23 2.10 monitoring and review 25 3.