Unlocking Neighbourhood Paths

Across England and Wales public paths are being blocked off by local authorities using the legal mechanism of a 'gating order' to put locked gates across paths. Some of these orders are made without local support. Unlocking Neighbourhood Paths wants to give the people who actually use the paths a say in the matter.

Unlocking Neighbourhood Paths is not against gating orders – only those orders which gate paths that provide a public benefit e.g. they lead to a shop, a school, a Doctor's surgery, a park, or provide a safe route away from busy roads.

Our aim is to have a small section of the law changed so that when a member of public objects to a gating order the decision is passed to an independent arbitrator. This should prevent local communities losing useful paths.