RUPPS – Roads Used as Public Paths
The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 introduced the public right of way ‘RUPPs’. Their definition was "a highway, other than a public path, used by the public mainly for the purposes for which footpaths and bridleways are so used." This notion had obscurities as to who had right of way and whether vehicles did at all. This led to a lot of unrest between the various parties that used these tracks and in 2000 it was decided that they should be reclassified as either restricted byways (open to traffic other than mechanically propelled) or a Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT).
Investigations into a large number of the tracks were not finalised by 2 May 2006 and all RUPPs were either reclassified as a restricted byway or BOAT. This website sets out to educate people as to the whereabouts of the few RUPPs that were granted Byway status in Kent and Sussex under this act.
Click on the map below to be taken to the byways in Kent page or the byways in Sussex page.
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NB – Always consult the Councils Definitive Map for the most up-to-date information regarding public rights of way.
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