This lengthy piece gives some idea of the work of a Public Rights of Way Officer in England and Wales – things may be different in Scotland and N Ireland – they generally are!

In 1950 County Councils and parishes surveyed all their Rights of Way and came up with a definitive map. This became the legal document. There are three and a half thousand miles of Rights of Way in Devon and Devon County Council were meant to review the map every five years. They tried to do so but were unable to because of lack of funding.

" My brief is to review the Definitive map of Public Rights of Way," says Erica Eden, Public Rights of Way Officer. "It was a job that arose out of legislation".

Erica’s area is North Devon. She works with Parish Councils and members of the public. She starts by holding a public meeting and asking for proposals for changes to the Definitive Map.

"Members of the public acquire a Right of Way by using it for a long enough period, generally at least twenty years without the landowner showing a lack of intention to dedicate by preventing use or putting signs up. Conflict may arise, for instance, if the land changes hands and the new owner puts up a gate and locks it, so the Definitive Map is checked and if the route is not shown or is shown, for example, as a footpath instead of bridleway, the County Council is approached to settle the dispute. My job is to look at the evidence and see whether a public right of way has been acquired. This is a different job to that of maintaining paths and clearing obstructions such as barbed wire – that’s the ranger’s job. I deal with the principles as laid down by the law.

"So I will check historical records, such as parish minutes and tithe maps and examine evidence provided by users and landowners. Then I write a report for the Councillors who are on the Public Rights of Way Committee.

"My recommendations are not based on opinion, they are based on whether the public has acquired a right and therefore whether a route should be recorded on the Definitive Map."

Erica has to carefully analyse all the evidence for her report because the Committee's decisions often result in public enquiries, where Erica has to present the evidence as County Council’s expert witness.

Once the County Council has made an order, that’s it, and Erica must defend it regardless of whether her recommendation differed from the decision.

"It’s very interesting and wide ranging work," says Erica. "I like historical research and dealing with people and I know I am good at analysing and understanding law. It can be stressful and it can be confrontational! However I believe I am good at explaining things and I am always straight with people."