A government inspector has ruled that the footpath from Claverton Down to Combe Down is legally 5m wide.

This confirms the case made by local residents and the council, that footpath AQ78 is a historic vehicle track over which the public has full access. The Inspector concludes:

“the right of way subsists over the full width of the way between the [historic] boundaries.”

When I sat on the council’s footpath committee I proposed that the footpath be recorded at this full width, resulting in the public enquiry to determine this. At the public enquiry the evidence was presented fairly, but overwhelmingly showed that the footpath should be between 5 and 7m wide.

This is great news for Bathwick and Claverton; I look forward to the wooden fence being taken down.