What is a Public Right of Way?
A public right of way is a route or way over which the public has a right to pass and re-pass. Most of the routes in Monmouthshire cross land in private ownership. All Public Rights Of Way (PROW) are 'highways' in law and are defined as one of the following: -
Footpath, Bridleway, Restricted Byway or Byway.
Fingerposts
PROW routes are usually marked by fingerposts where they leave a "metalled" (reinforced surface) road. The symbol of a walking person or rider on horse is used according to the status.
Waymark Arrows
Waymark arrows are used along the route to help guide people. The arrows used on PROW follow the UK agreed standard for shape and colour and the colour is specific to the status of the route.
- Yellow is used for a Footpath
- Blue is used for a Bridleway
- Red is used for a Byway
White is often used for a 'Permissive Path' in Monmouthshire. A survey of restricted byways is currently underway in Monmouthshire and this will help identify the requirements for signing this new class of public right of way.
Logo's
Logo's are also used on some promoted routes. They are sometimes called waymarks but, unlike the waymark arrows, do not offer directional guidance and are not related to the status of the PROW. Instead they help draw attention to a specific route, often the long distance ones.
Who Can Use a Footpath ?
FOOTPATHS may be used by people for walking. This includes use of a pushchair, wheelchair or electrically powered mobility scooter kept below 4mph. There is no right to push a cycle or lead a horse.
Who can use a Bridleway ?
BRIDLEWAYS may be used by people for walking, riding or leading a horse or pedal bicycling. Cyclists must give way to pedestrians and riders.
There is no public right to use a horse-drawn vehicle.
Who can use a Restricted Byway ?
RESTRICTED BYWAYS may be used by walkers, cyclists, horse riders and carriage drivers. Private vehicular rights may also exist.
Who can use a Byway ?
BYWAYS are open to all traffic (unless a Road Traffic Regulation Order has been imposed on the path), but are mainly used by the public for walking, riding or cycling. Vehicles have to comply with all driving regulations as for ordinary road traffic.
Permissive Routes
These are not defined in law. Who can use them depends upon other information explaining their use at each end of the route section. This will have the words or symbols showing whether the route is a footpath or bridleway or cycleway etc.
Many landowners have agreed to the establishment of a route across their land for the purpose of providing access for walkers and/or horse riders. Indeed many circular routes exist because of the generosity of very many landowners both large and small. The Forestry Commission deserves special mention here.
The permission to use the route exists only as long as the landowner agrees and no establishment of a legal route is inferred.
Waymark arrows used on permssive routes in Monmouthshire are coloured white. The word "Permissive" will also be included with the arrow or sign.
Beware that some older waymark arrows, usually made from thick plastic, have faded to white - but this waymark type usually includes the status of the route in words as well and the word "Permissive" will be absent.
Non-registered Rights of Way
Many historic public rights of way exist but have not yet been registered. Under the CROW Act this must now be done before 2026.
Many old cartroads and paths are obvious in that they link registered rights of way. At the time of registration, local people carrying out this process would have assumed that the link was public highway and not necessary to register as a footpath or bridleway.
Many PROW change status across a Community/Parish Council boundary and some even end their existance here. These anomalies abound in Monmouthshire with a high potential for error in a County with the second highest density of PROW in Wales and England.
See also Open Access Land
More detailed information about PROW can be found in the menu to the left.