Where can I drive?

Vehicular Road Types

A closer look at information sheet No1 will identify the types of roads that are considered vehicular. Basically they are BOATs (Byways Open to All Traffic), RUPPs (Roads Used as Public Paths) - these RUPPs may only be vehicular if historical vehicular evidence can be found, if in doubt check. The other two road types are RTs (Ratione Tenurae) roads and UUCRs (or sometimes referred to as UCRs - Unmetalled Unclassified County Roads)

How do I find them?

The first two types (BOATs and RUPPs) can be found on all current Ordnance Survey maps - see maps key for details. RTs and UUCRs are trickier to find. If you are the member of a club (such as GLASS or the TRF) then you may be able to arrange some map marking on your behalf, but be careful sometimes this information can be old and out of date or just plain old inaccurate !

County Councils

The best way of finding UUCRs and RTs if to look at the Counyy Councils List of Street (LoS) maps, these are large scale maps that usually show these road types. You will need to book in advance by ringing the Rights of Way or Landcharges departments, sometimes you may have to pay (I paid £10 to look at North Yorkshire County Councils LoS and was only able to go in the afternoon because they are too busy in the mornings - though Cumbria CC and Derbyshire CC were free when I went )

I warn you that it is back breaking work, make sure you take all the maps you need (1 in 50000 Landrangers are best) and some different coloured highlighter pens. Work quickly because the offices generally close at 5.00pm.

Map Marking

In the Routes section of this website are a limited number of greenlane co-ordinates of sustainable lanes to get you started, and for the more experienced greenlaner the GPS Downloads section can give you some further routes to drive.

Unfortunatley map marking is not one of the services provided through this website - so please don't contact me about it. Experience has shown me that people will often join clubs just to be told where the routes are, and they often don't contribute towards to upkeep and maintainance of greenlanes by helping on lane clearances. My involvement with GLASS and new members is .. the phone call wanting maps marked, then that the last that is heard from them (though of course not everyone is like this). It is just that a contribution towards lane upkeep, an article for the club magazine or whatever would be nice.

I also like to think that only the dedicated greenlaner is the type who is prepared to do his own research and make the effort to take that trip to the county council. Also the fewer greenlaners on certain greenlanes can help combat any potential damage that may occur, handing out map co-ordinates will obviously only exacebate this.

One little map marking short cut that you may be interested in - the very latest OS maps now show UUCRs as red dots, but if the road is already a definitive map footpath or bridleway then these markings will take precedence !