Question from foreigner about british roads

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Jules59
Posts: 420
Joined: 16 Jan 2019, 2:34pm

Re: Question from foreigner about british roads

Post by Jules59 »

I love my Sprintech mirrors.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGbtApyUP4A
drossall
Posts: 6115
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 10:01pm
Location: North Hertfordshire

Re: Question from foreigner about british roads

Post by drossall »

mjr wrote: 1 Oct 2021, 1:02pm3. it's only illegal to cycle on a path without round signs when it's by another road/carriageway. Some cycleways not next to motorised roads only have arrow signs with a bike symbol on (with or without people and horse symbols), usually blue but I have seen green (Cambridgeshire), black (Norfolk) and brown (various) ones. Some are even old wooden signs. Some only say "bridleway" or "byway" or "public path" but mostly where you see that, the way will be gravel or worse. A few say "footpath 🚲" which is confusing and should probably be ridden with extra care to give way to walkers (who in theory have priority over everyone everywhere but few dare to assert priority over motorists).
This isn't entirely accurate. In the UK, highway law only covers public roads. The rules about cycling on pavements/footways alongside public roads, which have been covered above, are part of that because those footways are technically part of the road, or at least part of the highway generally referred to as a road. Cycling on paths/routes/tracks that are not alongside public roads is therefore likely to be restricted, but not by highway law.

All land in the UK is owned by someone. So, you need to know under what rights you are riding on paths/tracks/whatever away from public roads - often, but far from invariably, paths with rights are marked by signs wherever they meet those roads. A public bridleway gives the right to walk, ride a horse (hence the name) or cycle across what is otherwise probably private land. A public footpath only gives the right to walk so, contrary to the above, you are not allowed to cycle on public footpaths. In tourist areas there are additionally various leisure routes open to cyclists that would hopefully(!) be marked as such, and of course some cycle routes intended as alternatives to roads cut across rather than follow those roads. So it can be complicated!

If you're worried about any points of detail on your planned route, I would suggest posting it for advice. The open access rules on mountains and other high ground are somewhat different again, but I see no indication that you're planning to ride up anything like that :D

Note that whilst cycling on a footpath alongside a road is an offence under highway law, cycling on a public footpath is cycling on private land without the right to do so, and hence a trespass against the landowner, and a civil offence. You may get thrown off by an irate landowner, but actual prosecutions are almost unheard of - not that that makes it justifiable to ignore the rules.
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