Suffolk County Council is the relevant
authority to fulfil the following statutory duties in relation to
public rights of way:
- erect and maintain a signpost at every point where a footpath,
bridleway or byway leaves a metalled road, and further to erect
such waymarks along each route as it considers are necessary to
assist persons unfamiliar with the locality to find their way;
- maintain each highway maintainable at public expense to a
reasonable standard appropriate for a highway of that character
having regard to the traffic which passes or may be expected to
pass along it;
- prevent as far as possible the stopping up or obstruction of
highways;
- protect and assert the rights of the public to use and enjoy
these highways; and
- update and maintain the legal record of Public Rights of Way,
the Definitive Map and Statement.
We do this by employing a team of officers based around the county
dealing with different aspects of rights of way management and
associated matters.
Protection and maintenance matters are dealt with by Area Rights
of Way Officers who are based at two outposted offices:
- East Area Rights of Way – based at Saxmundham; and
- West Area Rights of Way – based at Bury St Edmunds.
In the Bury St Edmunds area, the Borough of St
Edmundsbury acts as the agent of the county council for this work.
Similarly, in Ipswich it is undertaken by Ipswich Borough
Council.
Definitive Map issues, claims for routes to be added to or
deleted from the Definitive Map, the continual review of the
Map and Statement, general map enquiries and matters of countywide
policy, are dealt with by Environment and Transport headquarters
Rights of Way staff based at Endeavour
House.