These are not public rights of way, but footpaths or bridleways used by the public with the permission of the landowner. They should have a notice to that effect displayed on the path to make it clear that the owner does not wish to dedicate the path as a right of way, and the path cannot then be ‘presumed dedicated’ after 20 years’ use by the public. The owner can register with the highway authority that he has no intention to dedicate. The landowner is responsible for maintaining permitted paths.
Although such paths do not have the legal status of a right of way, and are not acceptable as a substitute, they do allow access to be opened up by a simple procedure that is usually more acceptable to the landowner than a creation order, which gives the public right of way for all time. See Chapter 13 – Waymarking for notes on waymarking permissive paths.
