UK Act of Parliament
2000
United Kingdom
Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
20 compliance obligations, 1 practical guide
Penalty landscape
3 of 20 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 4 carry different penalties and 13 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 7
- Occupier 1
Plus 12 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Direct — cites this Act
1 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 110 duties
- Licensing Act 2003 2003 105 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 97 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 86 duties
Occupiers also bound by 101 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (England/Wales comparison) 2005 23 duties
- Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 2006 21 duties
- Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (England) (No. 2) Order 2006 2006 15 duties
- Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2015 2015 13 duties
- Highways Act 1980 1980 12 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part I — Access to the countryside
Duty to prepare maps.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Natural England and Natural Resources Wales must map open country and common land Statutory regulator
Publication of draft maps.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Natural England must map open country and consider land-owner objections Statutory regulator
Maps in conclusive form.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Natural England must issue conclusive maps of public access land Statutory regulator
Review of maps (England)
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Natural England must review maps of open country and common land Statutory regulator
Review of maps (Wales).
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Natural Resources Wales must periodically review access maps Statutory regulator
Offence of displaying on access land notices deterring public use.
Fine up to £1,000- Display false or misleading notice on access land Any Person
Codes of conduct and other information.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Natural England and NRW must issue codes of conduct for access land Statutory regulator
Exclusion or restriction at discretion of owner and others.
Unlimited fine- Comply with restrictions when closing land to public access Any Person
Appeal by person interested in land.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Relevant authorities must provide reasons for refusing access directions Statutory regulator
Order to remove obstruction.
Fine up to £1,000- Fail to remove obstruction after access order Any Person
Powers of entry for purposes of Part I.
Fine up to £500- Obstruct authorised entry under the Countryside Act Any Person
Compensation relating to powers under s. 40.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Regulators must compensate for damage caused during land entry Statutory regulator
Crown application of Part I.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Part I of the Act applies to the Crown and its employees Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 36 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Principal definitions for Part I.
Rights of public in relation to access land.
Power to extend to coastal land : Wales.
Power to extend to coastal land etc : England
Appeal against map after confirmation.
Appeal procedure.
Power of Secretary of State or Assembly to delegate functions relating to appeals.
Regulations relating to maps.
Effect of right of access on rights and liabilities of owners.
Occupiers’ liability.
Rights of access under other enactments.
Dedication of land as access land.
Byelaws.
Wardens.
Notices indicating boundaries, etc.
Interpretation of Chapter II.
Restrictions on dogs at discretion of owner.
Land management.
Avoidance of risk of fire or of danger to the public.
Salt marshes and flats
Nature conservation and heritage preservation.
Directions by relevant authority: general.
Defence or national security.
Reference by relevant advisory body.
Exclusion or restriction of access in case of emergency.
Regulations relating to exclusion or restriction of access.
Guidance by countryside bodies to National Park authorities.
Interpretation of Chapter III.
Agreements with respect to means of access.
Failure to comply with agreement.
Provision of access by access authority in absence of agreement.
Appeals relating to notices.
References to public places in existing enactments.
Orders and regulations under Part I.
Interpretation of Part I.
Repeal of previous legislation, and amendments relating to Part I.
Part II — Public rights of way and road traffic
Rights of way improvement plans: supplemental.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local highway authorities must consult and publish rights of way plans Local authority
Power to order offender to remove obstruction.
Unlimited fine- Fail to comply with removal order for highway obstruction Any Person
Browse 24 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Redesignation of roads used as public paths.
Restricted byway rights.
Provisions supplementary to ss. 47 and 48.
Private rights over restricted byways.
Amendments relating to definitive maps and statements and restricted byways.
Restricted byways: power to amend existing legislation.
Extinguishment of unrecorded rights of way : England.
Excepted highways and rights of way : England.
Bridleway rights over ways shown as bridleways : England.
Cut-off date for extinguishment etc : England.
Creation, stopping up and diversion of highways.
Application for path creation order for purposes of Part I.
Effect of Part I on powers to stop up or divert highways.
Rights of way improvement plans.
Application of ss. 60 and 61 to inner London.
Enforcement of duty to prevent obstructions.
Overhanging vegetation obstructing horse-riders.
Making of traffic regulation orders for purposes of conserving natural beauty, etc.
Prohibition on driving mechanically propelled vehicles elsewhere than on roads.
Vehicular access across common land etc.
Erection or improvement of stiles, etc.
Minor amendments.
Reports on functions relating to rights of way.
Interpretation of Part II.
Part III — Nature conservation and wildlife protection
Limestone pavement orders: offence.
Unlimited fine- Make unauthorised limestone pavement order Any Person
Browse 8 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
The Nature Conservancy Council for England: change of name.
Conservation of biological diversity.
Sites of special scientific interest.
Consequential amendments, transitional provisions and savings relating to s. 75.
Ramsar sites.
Payments under agreements under s.16 of 1949 Act or s.15 of 1968 Act.
Powers of entry.
Enforcement of wildlife legislation.
Part IV — Areas of outstanding natural beauty
Browse 14 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Designation of areas.
Procedure for designation orders.
Functions of certain bodies in relation to areas of outstanding natural beauty.
General duty of public bodies etc.
Establishment of conservation boards.
General purposes and powers.
Orders establishing conservation boards.
Management plans.
Supplementary provisions relating to management plans.
Duty of public bodies etc in relation to management plans
Grants to conservation boards.
Regulations under Part 4
Interpretation of Part IV and supplementary provision.
Consequential amendments and transitional provisions.
Part V — Miscellaneous and supplementary
Expenses.
Amended 1 timeRepeals.
Amended 5 timesBrowse 9 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Local access forums.
Local access forums: supplementary.
Management agreements.
Duty of public bodies etc. regarding the Broads.
Registration of town and village greens.
Wales.
Isles of Scilly.
Commencement.
Interpretation, short title and extent.
Schedules
Amendments relating to creation, stopping up and diversion of highways
- Apply to remove public footpaths or bridleways from your land Occupier
Amendments relating to Part I of Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
6 months imprisonment- Intentionally or recklessly disturb protected wild birds Any Person
Sites of special scientific interest
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Natural England must notify owners and occupiers of SSSI designations Statutory regulator
Areas of outstanding natural beauty: conservation boards
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must consult Natural England on board appointments Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 12 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Excepted land for purposes of Part I
Driving of mechanically propelled vehicles elsewhere than on roads
Amendments consequential on change of name of Nature Conservancy Council for England
Supplemental powers of conservation boards
Restrictions to be observed by persons exercising right of access
Delegation of appellate functions
Minor and consequential amendments relating to Part I
Definitive maps and statements and restricted byways
Consequential amendments relating to sites of special scientific interest
Transitional provisions and savings relating to sites of special scientific interest
Areas of outstanding natural beauty: consequential amendments and transitional provisions
Repeals
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- SR2019 No 2: steps, ramps and other similar structures excavated into the existing bank profile of a main river (opens in a new tab) from Environment Agency Publication
- Celebrating 25 Years of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Open access land and the coastal margin: how to restrict public access (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Open access land: management, rights and responsibilities (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- NRW: SSSI owner responsibilities (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- GOV.UK: Protected areas - SSSIs (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
OEP
PrimaryOffice for Environmental Protection
Independent body established post-Brexit to scrutinise environmental law and investigate complaints about public authorities' failures to comply with environmental law in England …
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries, and rural communities. Sets environmental policy and works with agencies …
Government department responsible for protecting, expanding, and promoting the sustainable management of woodlands in England. Issues felling licences, administers woodland creation grants, …
Government adviser for the natural environment in England. Responsible for wildlife licensing (protected species), designating and managing protected sites (SSSIs, National Nature …
Natural Resources Wales
Principal environmental regulator for Wales. Combines functions of Environment Agency Wales, Countryside Council for Wales, and Forestry Commission Wales. Issues environmental permits, …
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