The Trails Trust approach has been tested at least once at public inquiry, and helped to bring about a successful Appeal.
Somerset County Council had refused to make an order to show as a Bridleway on the County Council’s Definitive Map and Statement a route previously shown as a Footpath, leading from the public highway in the Hamlet of Upper Vobster to Dark Lane in the parish of Coleford.
The Appeal and PI (Inspectors Millman / Cruickshank) is an important discussion of principles – express dedication by owners and adjacent owners (where land is unowned), user acceptance, maintenance by LHA, consent of mortgagee, nuisance to users of upgrading footpath to bridleway.
The Bridleway order was confirmed following a correcting of the alignment due to a mapping error.