PARISH PATHS PARTNERSHIP
Public Footpaths Benches Project.
As you are probably aware the
parish council has, over the last few years, embarked on a programme of
promoting the use of the public rights of way within the parish. Following the success of the erection in
the village centre of the map board of the paths in Hunsdon and Eastwick and
its accompanying paper version together
with the publication last year of the companion book Walking around Hunsdon
and the surrounding parishes, the council has moved to another level by
endeavouring to enhance the experience of walking the actual paths by providing
a series of benches at strategic places.
Funding for the project has been
provided under the Parish Paths Partnership scheme of which the council has
been an active member for the last seven years. As an initial trial of six kits of green oak were purchased
and these put together and erected at various sites. Five are in the vicinity of Fillets Farm, two on what is now a
restricted bridleway (see following article) between the farm and up the hill
towards the parish boundary at Townlands Wood. Another is adjacent to the concrete roadway through the actual
farmyard, another on the path to the rear of Bonningtons near the parish border
where it splits to Stanstead Abbotts and Wareside and the fifth is in the field
alongside the brook on the path accessed from Tanners Way. The sixth bench is situated in the middle
of the former airfield where the footpaths cross in the centre.
All the sites were chosen to give
wide ranging views over the surrounding countryside whilst sitting and relaxing
during walks and it is hoped that they will be of benefit to all concerned.
Restricted Byways.
On 2nd May this year
changes have been made to the status of certain public rights of way. Paths
known as Road Used as Public Path (RUPP) have been reclassified as Restricted Byways (RB), the former
now ceasing to exist. The new category
gives a right of way on foot, horseback or leading a horse and for vehicles other
than mechanically propelled vehicles,
the latter category allowing the use of cycles.
Thus, broadly, the main difference
is that mechanically propelled vehicles, including motor cycles are now
prohibited except where the drivers have legitimate need to access properties or businesses on the Restricted
Byway or enjoyed any form of permissive right under the old designation. This now means that it is no longer legal
for these vehicles to use the RB as a through route or any other purpose and in
particular applies to the practice of riding off-road motor cycles, quad bikes
and mini-motos along them where they do not conform with the conditions above.
The former RUPP to which these
conditions now apply in Hunsdon are:-
No.3 Junction of B180 opposite Whitehall Cottages northwest to
Fillets Farm at the
junction with No.12
No. 3a Junction with B180 at Whitehall Cottages eastward to junction
with Acorn Street.
No. 12 Junction with B180, High Street, opposite Acorn Street westwards passing Fillets
Farm and junction with No. 3 then north to parish
boundary at Townlands.
New finger signs and purple waymark discs replacing the existing black discs will be put up shortly.