Recording the paths on the map

We may, in due course, fill this page with words of wisdom on how to record paths. We will restrict ourselves to a simple list for now and an example or two of useful claim forms:

Record unrecorded paths by:

# claiming under Wildlife & Countryside Act 1991 with user evidence
# claiming under Wildlife & Countryside Act 1991 with historic evidence
# demonstrating to the highway authority a conclusive document such as a creation agreement
# negotiating a dedication or creation agreement yourself or with the highway authority
# negotiating in the context of a development or an unrelated diversion or stopping up order

Here is an example (in PDF format) of a simplified claim form for the user evidence route, highway authority forms can be very complicated and not always adaptable to the particular case. Each form needs careful thought before issuing. It may well be that highway authorities may request further form filling or perhaps face-to-face interviews with certain people, perhaps where their evidence appears to be especially good or dare we say it, where the person is very elderly or sick and might not be expected to ever be able to attend an inquiry.
Here is an example (in PDF format) of a covering letter. We feel this is an important part of the exercise and worthy of some care in preparation. One local user group also hands out, or put through letterboxes, stamped addressed envelopes. This has so far given remarkable return rates, between 20 and 30 percent for local drops of something over 100.

In practice the vast majority of those who fill in forms do not in fact attend the eventual inquiry.

Contact us at evidenceform@unrecordedways.org.uk for an editable (Word) copy of a recent sample claim form.

Below is a logo which may be downloaded and copied and used by anyone, but solely to further the aim of getting unrecorded ways onto the definitive map. Usually a right click on the logo and then selecting Save picture as.. will work.  It is a .GIF file with a transparent background.

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