Public rights of way

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A public right of way is a path that can be used for leisure and recreation by anybody at any time.

For more information about Portsmouth public rights of way, email rightsofway@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or contact the Safer Travel Team, Civic Offices, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, PO1 2AL.

Hampshire Countryside Access Forum (see below) and Gov.uk have more information on public rights of way.

Map of public rights of way

You can also view the full list of public rights of way in a table.

Who can use a public right of way?

Each path is classified according to who is allowed to use it. The classifications are:

footpath (pedestrians only)
bridleway (pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders only)
restricted byway (no motor vehicles)
byway (open to all traffic)

Where are the public rights of way in Portsmouth?

Portsmouth rights of way are shown in a series of maps downloadable below.

Rights and responsibilities on public rights of way

As a user, your rights and responsibilities are to:

be able to use a right of way without obstruction or intimidation
use a right of way with normal accompaniments, such as a dog or pram (but not on a bicycle on a footpath)
use the right of way with respect for other users and the owner of the land through which it passes
keep any dog with you under control, on a lead if necessary, to prevent it from fouling the right of way and to stop it from running over any adjoining land
use the right of way for its designated purposes only.

Landowners’ responsibilities to the rights of way on their land are to:

ensure rights of way are free from obstruction, such as overhanging foliage
ensure the surface is in a fit condition for its intended use
signpost and mark rights of way
provide and maintain stiles and gates
remove rubbish and litter as far as is practicable under the Environmental Protection Act 1990
progress applications to divert or nullify rights of way, if applicable, under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990

How are public rights of way created?

A landowner can give the public the right to use a route over their land, that is, ‘dedicating’ the route as a public right of way. Legally a dedication must be for all the public, and for all time, but the landowner can determine who can use the route, for example pedestrians only, or pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.

Sometimes routes are used as public rights of way over time. The presumption here is that, at some time in the past, the landowner either dedicated the way as public, but has lost the evidence of the dedication, or the landowner made no objection to the public using the route. To be legally acceptable, the public must have been openly using the route, without interruption, for a period of twenty years.

Landowners can deposit maps with the council showing any public rights of way on their land, together with a declaration to the effect that they do not intend to dedicate any other routes. Hampshire County Council has more information on this.

Portsmouth rights of way orders

The Camber

Please read the Definitive Map Modification Order and accompanying General Notice below.

Rights of way orders and register of applications

Register of applications – Portsmouth City Council keeps a register of applications that have been made to change the definitive map of public rights of way. This register means that landowners, users of rights of way and the general public can see applications that could result in changes to the definitive map.

To register an application for creating, diverting, modifying or extinguishing (withdrawing) a Public Right of Way, please email rightsofway@portsmouthcc.gov.uk stating the following:

What you are applying for (creation, diversion, modification or extinguishment of a right of way)?

The site location
Why you are applying

In the table below is the list of applications made in accordance with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Status	Area	Description of route claimed	Grid reference from/to	Notice served
Not found	Map 1 Paulsgrove	Portsdown Hill Road near Churchillian Pub to Skew Road	466135/462597	Nov 99
Found	Map 9 Eastney	Side of 57 Halliday Crescent to footpath at junction of Henderson Road	467409/467418	May 06
Found	Map 9 Eastney	Green are opposite 1 Driftwood Gardens to junction of footpath at Henderson Road	467409/467449	May 06
Not found	Map 9 Eastney	Rear of garages opposite flats 85-95 Halliday Crescent to the side of 10 Halliday Crescent	467382/467388	Sept 06
Found	Map 4 Baffins	Side of 157 Stanley Avenue to the dirt track at the rear of 157 Stanley Avenue	467015/467029	Nov 06
Not found Appeal dismissed by Planning Inspectorate	Map 8 Southsea	Outer edge of The Camber Dock Old Portsmouth	462983/462989	Nov 14
Applications for Modification Order under Section 53(2) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The application(s) are currently being reviewed	Map 8 Southsea	From Trimmers Court at junction with East Street proceeding northwards with Quayside edge proceeding south along water edge to Bridge Tavern turning west along inner Camber basin edge to southern end of Trimmers Court.	462983/462989	Jul 16
The application(s) are currently being reviewed	Map 4 Baffins	Compton Road – Battenburg Avenue	465789/465772	June 2019

Improving public access

The Hampshire Countryside Access Forum provides advice on management and maintenance policies for rights of way and access land. It principally advises Hampshire County Council, Southampton and Portsmouth City Councils, but also government bodies and user groups.

The forum meets quarterly. Members of the public are welcome to attend, submit a question or make a representation. For more information email sgs@hants.gov.uk

All Portsmouth public rights of way

wdt_ID	Name	Start	End	Length (metres)	Surface	Type of Route	Lighting	Width (metres)	Boundary type	Ownership	Accessibility	Relief	Status	Condition	Description
1	Eldon Street Footpath	Eldon Street	St. James's Road	51	Flags	Suburban	T	1.3 , 4.7	Brick walls & wire fencing	Adopted	Good	Flat	Footpath	Good	The adopted, metalled and lighted path 4.7m and 1.3m wide named ELDON STREET FOOTPATH, extending from Eldon Street (GR 464145 99603) in an easterly direction for 51m to St.James's Road (GR 464195 99591)
2	Rowes Alley	Broad Street	Bath Square	24	Flags	Suburban	F	1.5	Brick	Adopted	Good	Flat	Footpath	Good	The adopted and metalled path 1.5m wide named ROWES ALLEY, extending from Broad Street (GR 462906 99566) in a westerly direction for 24m to Bath Square (GR 462883 99561)
3	White Hart Alley	White Hart Road	Oyster Street	22	Stone	Suburban	F	1.8	Walls & covered way	Adopted	Good	Flat	Footpath	Good	The adopted and metalled path 1.8m wide named WHITE HART ALLEY, extending from White Hart Road (GR463139 99363) in an easterly direction for 22m to Oyster Street (GR 463161 99365)
4	Cecil Path	Cecil Grove	Castle Road	14	Flags	Suburban	T	2.7	Walls	Adopted	Good	Flat	Footpath	Good	The adopted, metalled and lighted path 2.7m wide named CECIL PATH, extending from the eastern end of Cecil Grove (GR 463938 99168) in a south-easterly direction for 14m to Castle Road (GR 463938 99168)
5	Gillman Path	Gilman Road	Portsdown Hill Road	82	Earth & grass	Suburban	F	Overall 3m; Path 0.6	Railings, fencing, hedges	Adopted	Good	Flat	Footpath	Good	The adopted earth and grass path approximately 3.0m wide overall named GILLMAN PATH,extending from Waterworks Lodge,Gillman Road (GR 468267 106204) in a northerly direction for 82m to Portsdown Hill Road (GR 468257 106283)
6	Eden Path	Down End Road	Farlington Avenue	78	Tarmac	Suburban	T	1.8	Fences, hedges & grass	Adopted	Good	Flat	Footpath	Good	The adopted, metalled and lighted path 1.8m wide named EDEN PATH, extending from the eastern end of Down End Road (GR467418 106180) in a northerly direction for 78m to Farlington Avenue (GR 467420 106255)
7	Copsey Close Path	Copsey Close	Havant Road	30	Tarmac	Suburban	F	1.5	Wall & railings	Adopted	Good	Flat	Footpath	Good	The adopted and metalled path 1.5m wide named COPSEY CLOSE PATH, extending from the northern end of Copsey Close (GR 467760 105650) in a northerly direction for 30m to Havant Road (GR 467756 105679)
8	Laburnum Path	Laburnum Avenue	Havant Road	46	Tarmac	Suburban	T	2.5 > 2.0	Fences	Adopted	Good	Flat	Footpath	Good	The adopted, metalled and lighted path 2.5m to 2.0m wide named LABURNUM PATH, extending from the northern end of Laburnum Avenue (GR 467314 105605) in a northerly direction for 46m to Havant Road (GR 467317 105650)
9	Aldsworth Path	Aldsworth Close	Havant Road	46	Tarmac	Suburban	T	3.6	Walls & fences	Adopted	Good	Flat	Footpath	Good	The adopted, mettaled and lighted path 3.6m wide named ALDSWORTH PATH, extending from Aldsworth Close (GR467140 105615) in a northerly direction for 46m to Havant Road (GR 467139 105660)
10	Feltham Row	Broad Street	White Hart Road	189	Flags & Millenium motif	Suburban	T	2.4<3.1, & 5.3	Brick, railings & quayside	Adopted	Good	Flat	Footpath	Good	The adopted, metalled and lighted path 3.1m to 2.4m wide named FELTHAM ROW, extending from Broad Street (GR 463030 99331) in a north-easterly and easterly direction for 189m to White Hart Road (GR 463152 99444)