Countryside Service design standards

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• For all projects

  This guide should be read in conjunction with any of the individual guides.

• Barriers

  Barriers can be useful to deter illegal use of paths, but are a last resort. You must obtain authorisation from the County Council before installing any barrier on a right of way.

• Boardwalks

  There are no legal requirements for boardwalks, so this design draws on best practice.

• Bridges

  Bridge and abutment design is the area of path work which requires the most specialist knowledge. With the exception of sleeper bridges across ditches, advice must be sought from County Council officers prior to any design being agreed.

• Drainage

  Poor drainage is the cause of many path problems. Where a path is enclosed between fences, hedges or walls water can be trapped and then, as the path is used it compacts the wet ground further.

• Fencing

  A design for fencing to contain livestock, including cattle, horses, pigs and sheep.

• Gates

  Any structure on a path will impede use and so a gap in the fence/hedge is always preferred; a gap is also virtually maintenance and cost-free. If a structure is required, for example to prevent livestock getting into or out of an area, the best option is a gate.

• Kissing gates

  A kissing gate is less accessible than a standard gate and so should only be considered if conditions make a standard gate unsuitable.

• Path surfacing

  Many countryside paths have a natural surface – often trodden earth in Hampshire. In most cases this is fitting, works well and requires only a minimum of maintenance. Where paths cross clay or marshy areas, or are habitually muddy through heavy use, then it may be appropriate to surface them.

• Path widths, heights and gaps

  This guide explains the size of gap to be left if a stile or gate is no longer needed; removing these barriers saves the landowner the time and cost of maintenance and improves access for all users.

• Signing rights of way

  Rights of way are often not major features on the ground and so signing them is important to give the public confidence that they are using the correct route; they also help the landowner in that good signing avoids inadvertent trespass. Similarly, signing of other paths can be helpful for both the user and the landowner.

• Steps and ramps

  Many paths have steep sections and there may be limited opportunity to avoid this. This sheet gives guidance; on some sites it may not be possible to build to these guidelines and so a compromise will be needed to find the best solution.

• Stiles

  Any structure on a path will impede use and a stile is the worst option—they cannot be used by people with pushchairs, wheelchairs or those who have mobility difficulties. For this reason no new stiles will be authorised by the County Council and whenever possible existing stiles should be replaced with a gap or a gate.