Purpose

A query relating to highway extent was received from colleagues in Highways Operations relating to a wall which may have footway in front but also a footway / footpath behind, with possible public right to pass down either side of the wall. The query is over whether the wall was maintainable at public expense by the highway authority.

Following the investigation it is considered that on balance of probability, the wall at back of footway forms the boundary of private land and therefore, both the wall at back of footway and the pathway on the Subject land do NOT form part of Lancashire County Councils highway extent, and are therefore not maintainable at public expense.

It is therefore recommended that the highway extent be amended to reflect that the wall in question forms the boundary of private land and as such, our maintained at public expense (MAPE) records should reflect that our highway extent stops at the wall, with the wall and passageway behind reflected as private land.

Decision

John Davies, Head of Highways Network Management, on behalf of Matt Townsend, Director of Highways and Transport took a decision to approve the recommendation in the report.