Bridgend County Borough Council

Public Rights of Way, as public highways, are generally (but not exclusively) maintainable at public expense, i.e. by the Highway Authority (Bridgend County Borough Council).

This duty of the Highway Authority relates to maintaining the surface of the path to a standard suitable for the passage of the ordinary traffic of the area, e.g. pedestrians on public footpaths and horses on public bridleways and includes the control of surface vegetation.  (Surface vegetation does not include cultivated crops which are covered by separate legislation).  The Highway Authority is also responsible for signing the paths from metalled highways and waymarking the path as appropriate. 

In order to meet its maintenance responsibilities, the County Borough Council is working in partnership with Town and Community Councils under the Agency Agreement Scheme.  As partners, the local Councils receive a set amount annually to take on the responsibility for trimming their local paths, for instance by paying a local contractor to carry out the work.  

The landowner or occupier is responsible for controlling side and overhead vegetation to ensure that it does not inhibit the use of public rights of way. Landowners also have a duty under Highway Law to maintain stiles and gates on a footpath or bridleway in good order.  Where appropriate, Bridgend County Borough Council provides stile and gate kits as its contribution to the cost of repair.