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In the UK, adding highway=footway implies the tag foot=designated. There are some situations where a route looks like a footpath - a well-trodden path across a field say - but probably isn't a Right of Way. How should these be tagged? I added foot = Unknown for now, but feel there must be a clearer solution.

asked 27 Aug '14, 01:01

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u003f
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edited 27 Aug '14, 01:22

aseerel4c26's gravatar image

aseerel4c26 ♦
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I believe that the wiki page that implies foot=designated is wrong. You can tag things as a footway by seeing that they can be walked on without knowing the access rights.

(27 Aug '14, 08:52) EdLoach ♦

What you're doing sounds OK to me - tag it is highway=footway (please not highway=path if you know that it's actually a footway!) and foot=Unknown or similar (perhaps with a note explaining why you tagged it that way) in order to explain to other people what the access status actually is (even if you don't know).

Personally (in England and Wales) I'd explicitly add foot=yes to any path that's definitely a legal right of way (i.e. a "public footpath" or across access land), and I'd also add "access=private" to something that's obviously not public access (i.e. through a farm gate into a farmyard), though that's by no means universal (and where farm tracks have been added from imagery pre-survey of course it's difficult or impossible to determine access rights).

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answered 27 Aug '14, 09:43

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If you find a well trodden path i would tag it as highway=footway you may be able to find the marker post in the undergrowth, much easier to see in the winter, It may have rotted and fallen over or got nudged over by a farmer struggling turn a massive piece of kit. That is one of the problems if the post is prominent, it's in the way. You can check the legal status on a Definitive Map at County Councils, unfortunately we can't copy from that, but you can get the route for a walk or hike or possible ride which is even more fun. see http://www.geograph.org.uk/article/Definitive-maps-online

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answered 27 Aug '14, 07:44

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andy mackey
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It seems like highway=path would be correct. Please DO NOT tag as access=private unless you have clear evidence of this. There are three good reasons for not using private tags one is that some landowners/operators will use a private sign to deliberately deter legitimate public use. Secondly tagging as private could jeopardise a legitimate claim for the way being public. Thirdly all land in the UK is private so no need for signs or tags. Regards.

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answered 27 Aug '14, 06:37

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BCNorwich
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I think I would consider using highway=path and access=private for that. The first tag telling what it is, the second saying who can use it (not public).

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answered 27 Aug '14, 03:29

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question asked: 27 Aug '14, 01:01

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last updated: 27 Aug '14, 09:43

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