Help the Access Team protect the public byways in Cambridgeshire and report any damage you see happening to the county’s countryside routes.

Report incidents of misuse and damage to:
Cambridgeshire Police on 0845 4564564 

Please report problems with the public rights of way to the Countryside Access Team.

This call for public help comes as a result of criminal damage to locked gates and the surface of several public byways. Gates have been damaged, locks stolen and surfaces deeply churned up and left rutted due to the wet condition of the ground.

The routes were officially closed whilst improvement work was being undertaken and council officers often repair the damage only for it to be damaged again.

Past incidents have been reported to the police and are investigated. This rural crime occurs on byways, where money and time has been spent repairing and improving the routes for people to use and enjoy.

Local farmers and landowners, and people walking and riding along the byways are being urged to report any vehicles illegally using the routes and causing damage.

Byways are routes maintained for walkers and riders, but also open to motor traffic. Damaging the surface of a byway and ignoring legal byway closures are criminal offences.

People should report incidents of byway misuse to Cambridgeshire Police on 0845 4564564 and the information will be passed to the Rural Community Action Team. 

This special police unit is focused on rural crime and is aware of the recurring damage to byways. If needed, police officers are able to patrol these off-road routes to stop offenders and deter future incidents.

The Countryside Access Team has a responsibility to maintain public access to the countryside via these byways. Improvements have been made to the routes, repairing the surfaces, clearing drains and cutting back vegetation.

In order to protect the byways and the work done to improve walkers’ and riders’ enjoyment of them, locked gates and legal closures are used to exclude recreational 4x4s while improvement works settle and also on some routes every year during the more vulnerable winter months.

The County Council works closely with recreational 4x4 driver groups, such as the Green Lane Association (GLASS) and the Land Access and Recreation Association (LARA) who ask their members to use the routes responsibly and respect closed routes throughout the winter.

Sadly, misuse of byways by a minority of drivers spoils other people’s enjoyment of these routes and wastes public money.