Oxfordshire Area Ramblers

Want to help improve the footpaths that you walk on?

Oxfordshire County Council’s (OCC) Countryside Access officers are responsible for maintaining our public rights of way (footpaths, bridleways, byways), either directly or by engaging with a landowner. Either way, OCC needs a helping hand or, more precisely, your eyes.

 1 Gate locked 2

The Council needs the public to report problems e.g. overgrowth, difficult stile, locked gate, collapsing footbridge, path not made good after ploughing; they can then take appropriate action. Oxfordshire Ramblers also have path maintenance teams which can tackle some of the overgrowth problems – if we are made aware of them.

 2 Nettles

The best way to report an issue to OCC is to use their online reporting tool. This is easy to use. You do not need to know the grid reference of the problem.

 3a Barbed wire over stile

Oxfordshire County Council’s Countryside Access Team have produced an easy-to-follow guide on how to report problems on public rights of way. You can download this guide from OCC’s website and from our website. For the latter, click on the 'footpath protection' tab at the top of the screen, then select the document named 'How to report a footpath problem' or click here.)

You can attach photographs of an issue as part of your online report; these are extremely helpful to the field officer. Likewise they will be useful for our path maintenance teams to assess what work is required. However, don’t be put off if you don’t have a photo.

 4 Overhanging branchWhether you report an overgrowth issue to OCC or not, do please contact the path maintenance team that is closest to the problem. All you have to do is send an email to one of the team leaders. If are not sure which team leader to contact, send your observation to more than one; they’ll sort it out between themselves. Simply describe the location as best you can. If you can attach some photos of the issue, so much the better but don’t worry if you don’t have any. Contact details for our path maintenance teams are below. 

 6a Overgrown FP 1

Bicester & Kidlington area: Ian Baldwin click here

Thame & Wheatley area: Bob Merry click here

Vale of White Horse: Patrick Rosum click here

Oxford and nearby areas not covered by the other groups: Keith Frayn

click here 

If you are unable to use OCC Countryside Access’ online report system and if an issue is urgent you can send a message to OCC’s general enquiries desk very simply at this page.

https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/contactus/contact-oxfordshire-county-council#no-back

Your message will then be forwarded to Countryside Access. Alternatively you can phone their general enquiries number 01865 792422. An example of an urgent issue would be a tree that has partly fallen down (‘hung-up ‘) over a right of way and which could fall further at any moment. It would also be a good idea to tell your parish council, as they can also contact OCC Countryside Access.

 

3b FB rotting