Batchworth 30 is a public right of way crossing several ownerships, and forms part of the route from Rickmansworth to Croxley Green. When the adjacent school sought to divert the part that went across their land in 2016, the Open Spaces Society and the Three Rivers District Council advocated the argument that ‘bridleway is the best sort of new cycle track’ and as a result, the Hertfordshire County Council entered into a public path creation agreement to upgrade the footpath to bridleway and to come into effect immediately it had been diverted.
Then, in 2022, the Three Rivers District Council wanted to formalise the status of the footpath section from the High Street to the part already made bridleway in order to encourage cycling to the school.
We helped the Council with this but the land was unregistered so there was no known landowner with whom to seek an agreement. As a result, the council made a public path creation order on 19 Dec 2022. This was confirmed on 27 Jan 2023 and came into force on 27 May 2023, so removing a cul-de-sac bridleway from the definitive map and recording a further section of the ridden route from Rickmansworth to Croxley Green.
We were pleased to help with securing the making and confirmation of The Hertfordshire County Council (Cheshunt Bridleway) Creation Order 2022 which helps with the development of the H251 route to Epping Forest.In order to allow development of some land between Lt Ellis Way and the A10, it was necessary to divert Cheshunt 16 footpath. As part of initial consultation, the new route was proposed as a bridleway, and we welcomed this because it would create a link from Cheshunt 75 bridleway to a route that was created and signed bridleway when St Mary's School was built. Subsequently, Broxbourne Borough Council made an order that only put a footpath in place so we objected (alongside the BHS and OSS).
To resolve the objections, it was agreed by all parties to record the route to and over the bridge spanning the A10. The combined set of orders was then able to go through unopposed. We now wait for the orders to come into effect.
We were pleased that the Inspector appointed to consider the Shenley 39 and Ridge 39 bridleway diversion order agreed with our objection and modified the order so as to ensure the diverted path connected with the Metropolitan Common at Mimms Lane, to make a shorter route to reach Shenley 33 byway.
After years of turmoil relating to the future use of the former Radlett Aerodrome between Park Street and the St Albans to Radlett railway line, it seems that the 2006 planning permission will now be implemented.Part of the mitigation for the additional lorries in the area (mostly on the A405) is the creation of country park areas and new paths. We were pleased to see many of our requests back in 2006 have made it to the planned set of new routes, and as the landscaping works set out the new paths, they will gradually be brought into use with the appropriate legal orders.
The plans involve the diversion of St Stephen 85 bridleway and the creation of 14 new bridleways. Four of the new paths will be surfaced to encourage cycling, but the remainder will have a natural surface.
The plan shows existing riding routes in blue (with their path numbers) and the proposed routes in orange. Additional new routes, not illustrated, are proposed north of the A405.
Subject to the relevant orders being made and confirmed, the new paths will be:
A bridleway from Riverside Way and Drop Lane to St Stephen 7 bridleway, making a circular route without using Smug Oak Lane.
A bridleway between Smug Oak Lane and the M25 motorway, linking the Moor Mill bridleway to St Stephen 7 and touching the footbridge over the M25. (When the footbridge is replaced, we will be seeking a bridleway bridge.)
A new bridleway from Moor Mill north to Hyde Lane (St Stephen 94).
A new bridleway from the Moor Mill bridleway (north of the M25), parallel to the motorway, touching the northern end of the footbridge, and continuing to the railway line then parallel to the railway line to reach Hyde Lane.
A new bridleway giving a circular ride north of Hyde Lane (and potentially reaching Tippendale Lane in due course)
A new surfaced bridleway to link London Colney 4 bridleway, over the railway line, to Hedges Farm.
A new surfaced bridleway from Bury Dell Lane under the A405 to Cotton Mill Lane in St Albans.
A new bridleway to provide a better junction with the A405 by the railway than using St Stephen 85 bridleway. This is a good improvement to road safety.
A new bridleway from the end of an accommodation bridge over the M25 motorway towards London Colney. This path needs the adjoining landowners to also contribute, and negotiations are being conducted by the County Council.
In short, for one bridleway diversion, riders will have several miles of new path and multiple new circuits. As ever, path changes can take a long time, so it will be important to help the authorities and the developer realise the routes over the next few years.
We were really pleased when the sole objection to the order recording the route between Hexton and Lilley, now Hexton 2 and 13 bridleways, was withdrawn and the County Council was able to confirm its order adding the route to the definitive map as a bridleway.
We applied for the route to be recorded in 2018. The order was made in 2022 and confirmed on 27 Apr 2023 after the tenant farmer withdrew his objection.
As part of the process to record Wash Lane as a byway so that it would appear on the definitive map and Ordnance Survey maps as a public route, it was spotted by the East Herts Footpath Society that there was a gap between the southern end of South Mimms 71 and the publci road, Dancers Lane. The EHFS objected to the Wash Lane order as there would still be a gap in the continuous legally recorded rights.
We were delighted when we were able to show to the Council that the short section in question had indeed become a bridleway through one of the orders creating the M25 motorway, and the Council was then able to record the gap by means of a legal event order (that is, a definitive map order that reflects a previous change and come into effect immediately).
We were pleased when the Inspector appointed to determine the Finch Lane order decided that public vehicular rights exist on the route, but saddened when he declined to confirm the order as it seemed to him to be an ordinary road. We are disappointed in this decision, but at least the public rights were confirmed.
We think the Inspector made an error of law, but it would take a High Court challenge to rectify this decision, which is prohibitively expensive.
This old road was legally stopped to all but walkers in 1967, but as a first step to reopening it for riders we applied in 1995 to have its width and exact layout recorded. The Hertfordshire County Council (South Mimms 72) Modification Order 2023 was made this year and attracted no objections. Its confirmation is expected to be advertised early in 2024.
The next steps in the diversion of the footpath and upgrading to a bridleway, to provide an off-road alternative to the road at Well End are due to be outlined to a meeting of Hertsmere Borough Council’s Cabinet on 7 Feb 2024. This had been delayed by work on the Local Plan, but is now expected to proceed with gusto.
There are two remaining objections to the legal work, and the Cabinet decision is needed so that the officers can submit the opposed order to the Secretary of State for determination.
Supporters will recall that in 2020, land owned by the Jasmine Safety Track Trust was transferred to our charity. We then dedicated bridleway rights on the route, which was numbered Sarratt 80 by the County Council.
We took care at the time to ensure that the route was properly taken over by the highway authority as a highway maintainable at the public expense so that we would minimise future liabilities to the charity. This involved providing many statements of support (most of which were collected by the Jasmine trustees) so that the council could see that the path was of wide public benefit.
It was fortunate that the detailed work was performed at the time. This year, an unknown person dumped rubbish (including some asbestos) at the end of the bridleway, but technically on our land. The district council asked us to clear the land of the rubbish, but we were able to point to s.86(9) Environmental Protection Act 1990 which provides that rubbish on a highway maintainable at the public expenses is to be cleared by the district council, so the charity was not liable after all.
The Hertfordshire County Council (South Mimms 71) Legal Event Modification Order 2023, made 24 Nov 2023, added a gap between South Mimms 71 bridleway and Dancers Lane (public road).
The Hertfordshire County Council (Aldenham 12, Aldenham 84) Modification Order 2018, made 14 Dec 2018, proposed to add a bridleway along the physical roadway though Wall Hall.
The Hertfordshire County Council (Bushey 76) Modification Order 2019, made 27 Nov 2019, proposed to add Finch Lane to the definitive map and statement as a byway open to all traffic. Although the Inspector found that vehicular rights existed, he declined to confirm the order on 28 Jul 2023, saying that it was a public road.
The Hertfordshire County Council (Cheshunt Bridleway) Creation Order 2022, made 17 Feb 2022 and confirmed 26 May 2022, creates a bridleway from Cheshunt 13 bridleway to Theobalds Lane on the eastern side of the A10. It comes into effect when Hertfordshire County Council certifies that the physical works are complete.
The Broxbourne Borough Council (Cheshunt 16) Stopping Up Order 2022, made 1 Feb 2022 and confirmed 25 Apr 2022, stops up Cheshunt 16 footpath and creates an agreed bridleway from Cheshunt 75 bridleway to Cheshunt 13 bridleway. It comes into effect when Broxbourne Borough Council certifies that the physical works are complete. The Hertfordshire County Council (Hertingfordbury 10) Diversion Order 2023, made 20 Apr 2023, proposes to divert part of Hertingfordbury 10 footpath. If confirmed the diverted with is 3m and there are no limitations.
The Hertfordshire County Council (Markyate 25 and Flamstead 58) Modification Order 2018, made 3 Aug 2018, proposes to add Green Lane, Markyate, to the definitive map and statement as a restricted byway.
The Hertfordshire County Council (Aldenham 12, Aldenham 84) Modification Order 2018, made 14 Dec 2018, proposes to add a bridleway along the physical roadway though Wall Hall.
The Hertfordshire County Council (Little Berkhamsted 18) Modification Order 2021, made 23 Sep 2021, proposes to alter the alignment of this bridleway at the southern end on the definitive map and add detail to the definitive statement.
The Hertfordshire County Council (Kelshall 18, 19, 21 and 22) Modification Order 2022, made 17 Feb 2022, proposes to add three routes as two byways and a bridleway to the definitive map and statement.
The Hertfordshire County Council (Hitchin 42) Modification Order 2022, made 10 Mar 2022, proposes to record 25m of Hitchin 42 FP as restricted byway.
The Hertfordshire County Council (South Mimms 81) Modification Order 2022, made 21 Apr 2022, proposes to add Wash Lane to the definitive map and statement as a byway.
The Hertfordshire County Council (Walkern 8b) Modification Order 2023, made 9 Nov 2023, proposes to upgrade Walkern 8b bridleway to restricted byway on the definitive map and statement.
The Central Bedfordshire Council (Definitive Map and Statement for Central Bedfordshire) (Hyde: Byway Open to All Traffic No 15) Modification Order 2022, made 1 Apr 2022, proposes to record the Bedfordshire moiety of this route to the definitive map for Central Bedfordshire as a byway open to all traffic. The objection period closed 27 Apr 2022 and several objections were received by the council.
The Hertfordshire County Council (South Mimms 72) Modification Order 2023, made 8 Jun 2023 and receiving no objections by the close of the objection period, proposes to record the width of this footpath and lack of lawful limitations in the definitive statement.
© 2025 Patchetts Green Bridleways Trust.
