Public rights of way
What is a public right of way/highway?
- A highway is a road or path on which the
public have a right of way (right to travel along).
- A public footpath is a highway on which the
public have a right of way by foot only and which is not attached
to a carriageway
- A bridleway is a highway on which the public
have a right of way by foot, cycle or horse
Can I check if a path is a public
right of way?
As an Inner London authority the London
Borough of Tower Hamlets is not required to keep a Definitive Map
of public rights of way.
All highways in Tower Hamlets, for which we
are the highway authority, and therefore responsible for the
maintenance of, are outlined in red on our highway register. They
are outlined in green if Transport for London are the relevant
highway authority. Roads which are not outlined are private
roads. Some of them will be estate roads and therefore
maintained by the relevant housing association or similar.
If you contact us about the status of any
highway, including footpath, then we can consult the register and
advise you of the status as described above. A fee will be
charged if you want written confirmation.
Public rights of way: enforcement
The council can take enforcement action over
unauthorised obstructions of a public highway. Please contact us to report an
obstruction.
How to contact us
Mulberry Place (AH)
PO Box 55739
5 Clove Crescent
London
E14 1BY
Tel: 020 7364 5004
Email: generalenquiries@towerhamlets.gov.uk