Annotated map reproduced courtesy of Googlemaps.	Oakridge Lane is now recorded as Byway Aldenham 83. It runs from Watling Street and the junction with restricted byway Aldenham 20, to the River Colne, along the river bed, then out, across the private drive and on to the junction with bridleway Aldenham 72. Oakridge Lane then becomes a hardened surface track that continues south westwards to the water treatment works and bridleway Aldenham 74. Although legally an unclassified county road (UCR), its maintenance is handled by the County Council's rights of way team (according to the County Council's website). The contact is Dawn West. We need a volunteer to photograph this route for this year's Access and Riding Rights of Way Survey. It's easy - just take photographs (safely) when you use the path. Find out more!
This route was identified as in use and not recorded on the definitive map when members of the Patchetts Green Riding Club surveyed the riding routes in the area as part of the British Horse Socety's Access and Riding Rights of Way survey in 1991. As it was legally a road with numbers 4U23/30 and 4U23/40, it did not need to be recorded on the definitive map. However in 2006, Parliament decided that byways open to all traffic would no longer be able to be recorded from 2026. The BHS and PGBT made an application to record the route that year. The resulting order was finally confirmed in 2018.
From junction with Aldenham 72 Photo: Phil Wadey, 27 Jan 07	Part way to River Photo: Phil Wadey, 27 Jan 07	Approaching the River Colne Photo: Phil Wadey, 27 Jan 07	Starting from Watling Street Photo: Phil Wadey, 27 Jan 07	Part way to River Photo: Phil Wadey, 27 Jan 07

Legal History 20 Jun 1953: The route was not recorded on the original definitive map and statement. 31 Dec 1977: The route was not shown on the special review draft map and statement. DM sheet SR-77. 2 May 2006: NERC exemption s.67(2)(b) as route not on DM but was on LOS. 20 Dec 2006: Application made to have this path recorded. HCC reference HTM/172. 9 Oct 2009: Order made to record the route. The Hertfordshire County Council (Aldenham 83) Modification Order 2009 will, if confirmed, add this route to the definitive map as part restricted byway, part byway open to all traffic. 1 Jan 2010: At the close of the objection period, there were two objections. 9 Oct 2012: The order was confirmed, but on 28 Oct 13 it was quashed by the High Court and sent back for re-determination. 13/14 Aug 2014: The second public inquiry was held. 6 Dec 2016: Order confirmed with the modifications we asked for on width and alignment. 12 Jul 2017: High Court hears challenge to the order's confirmation. Part of the order was quashed and has to be redetermined. 4 Apr 2018: Third public inquiry held - this time only into the quashed part of the order. 10 Oct 2018: Remaining part of order confirmed (again), as byway. Advertised 13 Feb 19. Application Process Path Application Certificate Direction Inv Report Order Confirmed EC202 20 Dec 2006 HTM/172     9 Oct 2009 10 Oct 2018

Definitive Statement (21 Aug 2009, as confirmed 10 Oct 18) Path: [Aldenham] 83.  Status: Byway Open to All Traffic.  Definitive Map sheet: 77 Oakridge Lane commences as a Byway Open to All Traffic from Watling Street at TL 1574 0149 and a junction with RB 20 then continues generally south west for approximately 170 metres to TL 1565 0134 where it enters The Brook and its eastern bank. It then follows The Brook south west for approximately 325 metres to TL 1557 0103. From here it continues running generally south west to a junction with FP 26 at TL 1555 0097 leaving The Brook at TL 1555 0096 and continuing to a junction with the drive to Hill farm and Footpath 9 at TL 1554 0092. It then continues as a Byway Open to All Traffic across the drive to Hill Farm running south west for approximately 350 metres to a junction with FP27 and Oakridge Lane (county road) at TL 1529 0071. Width: Varying between 4 and 14 metres from TL 1574 0149 to TL 1529 0071, as shown uncoloured [or blue] on the Inland Revenue Valuation Plan prepared under the Finance (1909-1910) Act 1910. Limitations: None. Maintainability This route is maintainable at the public expense because it was a highway before 1835.

© 2025 Patchetts Green Bridleways Trust. File reference: EC202. HCC reference: HTM/172.