is this a footway

[mjr]

They don't cut the tree properly there so it always is too low to cycle on the pavement, and there's no drop kerb to get from the road onto the facility by the ASL. So you have to make a choice further back, gamble with the lights and maybe get stuck in an bike box, or ride in the farcility and get hit in the face by tree branches.

Or how about a third choice: you could report the dangerously low tree ( http://www.fixmystreet.com if nowhere else will allow you to attach cycling-head-height photos, which I've had to do to get councils to cut the trees back before - example https://www.fixmystreet.com/report/924394 ) and separately report the missing drop kerb (which I've had fixed in North Somerset - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.35947 ... 56!6m1!1e1 directing you into a high kerb became https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.35952 ... 56!6m1!1e1 - the cycle lane still isn't worth a damn but being able to bypass the junctions and reach the shops more easily is useful)

[honesty]

I bug my highways office about things monthly. Dont worry, it's on the list!

Hadnt thought about talking to them about the tree cutting though, good idea.

[Vorpal]

I bug my highways office about things monthly. Dont worry, it's on the list!

Hadnt thought about talking to them about the tree cutting though, good idea.

I was going to suggest the same. I have got local authorites to cut trees and brush many times when they wouldn't consider even very basic and inexpensive imrpovements of other sorts.

[squeaker]

I bug my highways office about things monthly. Dont worry, it's on the list!

Hadnt thought about talking to them about the tree cutting though, good idea.

I was going to suggest the same. I have got local authorites to cut trees and brush many times when they wouldn't consider even very basic and inexpensive imrpovements of other sorts.

That's 'cos unhelmeted peds might bang their heads on them

[MikeF]

I bug my highways office about things monthly. Dont worry, it's on the list!

Hadnt thought about talking to them about the tree cutting though, good idea.

Ask them where the highway boundary is along this section of road. The path isn't marked as a public right of way on the OS map, but looks to be within the highway boundary. Looks like a footway to me, but your local highway authority will know.

[honesty]

I'm guessing by the way that no one could do a damn thing if I just cycled on the grass?

[thirdcrank]

Taking the lawn into your own hands, eh? Just make sure nobody grasses you up.

Sorry about the canteen humour on a serious topic. I can't think of a law against it, but there might be local byelaws about verges. We used to have one in Leeds and perhaps we still do. I'm not even sure if it covered all vehicles or just motor vehicles, but it was pretty much a non-starter in terms of protecting verges.

[Vorpal]

I'm guessing by the way that no one could do a damn thing if I just cycled on the grass?

That's legal in most places. Even on shared use paths, I have sometimes gone off on the grass to go around pedestrians, or cycle with my kids & not take up too much space. As TC points out, sometimes the verges, or other areas of public space are protected from cycling with bylaws.

Check with you local council. You may also have to check the definitive map. Some parts of the route could be deemed a common, or something like that (and subject to specific bylaws).

[Bmblbzzz]

I'd say it's within the boundaries of the highway - the hedge on one side and the property boundaries on the other - so is part of the road, ie a footway not a footpath. But the suggestion made upthread to check the definitive map is the only real answer.

Whatever the legal status though, it looks to me like the kind of place you could quite reasonably cycle (on the footway/path) with a child. There's plenty of grass to take to if necessary!

[Lance Dopestrong]

I'd be inclined to think footway, but ultimately a court might be the one to decide that. Realistically, if you don't to all Ben Hur I doubt anyone would notice, much less care.