Public rights of way can only be diverted, extinguished or created by way of a Legal Order. The most commonly made types of Public Path Orders include:
All diversion, extinguishment and creation orders made under the Highways Act 1980 and Town and Country Planning Act 1990 adhere to the same basic procedure, as shown below. It can take some time to administer an application. Also there is no certainty that an application will result in the desired outcome, as the public have a right to object on certain grounds. Orders are subject to legal tests which must be met by the Council when deciding to make an order.
The process for public path orders is outlined below:
There is an administration fee to cover the full costs of making an order and the applicant must also cover all advertising costs associated with the order. There is a waiting list for dealing with orders - please contact us for details of the current situation. Orders required for development purposes under section 257 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 may be processed more quickly.
Ordnance Survey is notified about any changes to the network but this can take a while to be reflected on their printed maps.
For further information and application forms, email Highways.Helpdesk@bedford.gov.uk.
Bedford: Part of Footpath 1 Diversion Order 2023 (HAD 130 BED)
Bedford: Footpath between High Street and the rear of 8-10 Howard Street Creation Order 2021 (HAC 112)
Bolnhurst and Keysoe: Part of Footpath No.85 Diversion Order 2024 (HAD 138 BK)
Brickhill: Footpath No.9 Diversion Order 2023 (HAD 117 BRI)
Knotting and Souldrop: Part of Footpath 32 Diversion Order 2024 (HAD 140 KS)
Melchbourne and Yielden: Part of Footpath No. Y17 Diversion Order 2024 (HAD 139 MY)
Oakley: Part of Bridleway No. 7 and Clapham: Part of Bridleway No. 27 Public Path Diversion Order 2023 (HAD 126 OAK)
Odell: Part of Footpath 10 and Footpath 11 Diversion Order 2024 (HAD 119 ODE)
Renhold: Part of Footpath No 39 HA Diversion Order 2020 (HAD 106)
Stewartby: (Part of Footpath No 3) Public Path Diversion Order 2023 (Ref HAD 133 STW)
Wootton: Bridleway No 23 and 24 and Kempston Rural: Part of Bridleway No. 34 Public Path diversion order (HAD 129 WOO)
Wootton: Footpath 19 and Kempston Rural Footpath 38 Public Path Diversion Order (HAD 110 WOO)
Wootton: Petty Sessional Division of Luton and South Bedfordshire Magistrates' Court Section 116 Stopping up of part of a highway (HAE 139)
Melchbourne and Yielden: Part of Bridleway No. M20 Diversion Order 2024 (TAD 083 MY)
Ravensden: Part of Public Footpath No 49 and Footpath No 50) Public Path Diversion Order 2025
Bedford (Former Excluded Area): Order confirmed by Secretary of State on 18/12/23.
Notice period ends 6 weeks from 11/01/24.
Route stopped up effective from 25/12/23
Bedford: (Former Excluded Area): Stopping up of Public Right of Way on foot between Western Street and Battison Street) HA Extinguishment Order 2019
Confirmed 07/05/2019.
Effective from 15/05/2019
Brickhill: Parts of Footpath No 19 and Bridleway No 23 HA Diversion Order 2020 (HAD 104)
Order Confirmed by Secretary of State with modifications on 30/05/2023
Notice period ends 6 weeks from 08/06/23. New route effective from 06/06/23
Brickhill: Part of Bridleway No 23 Public Path Diversion Order 2023 (HAD 121 BRI)
Order confirmed as an unopposed order on 13/04/2023
New route effective from 20/04/2023
Brickhill: Part of Footpath No 27 HA Extinguishment Order 2020 (HAE 108)
Order confirmed by the Secretary of State on 19/10/2022. New route effective from 26/10/2022
Brickhill: Footpath No 10 and Part of Footpath No 19 Extinguishment Order 2020
Confirmed 02/12/2020. New route effective from 10/12/2020
Bromham: Part of Footpath No 9 TCPA Diversion Order 2020
Confirmed 08/04/2020. New Route effective 23/09/2020
Carlton and Chellington: Part of Bridleway 12 HA Diversion Order 2022
Order Made on 15/07/2022. Notice period ends 19/08/2022
Order confirmed by the Secretary of State on 27 March 2024
Route effective from 08/10/24
Colmworth: Part of Footpath No A2 HA Diversion Order 2020
Confirmed 19/08/2020. New Route effective 09/10/2020
Colmworth: part of Footpath No A2 HA Diversion Order 2019 - withdrawn
Cotton End: Shocott Spring Footpath Dedication 2023
Statement and map (PDF)
Dedication Made 23/08/2023
Dean and Shelton: Part of Footpaths D13 and 30.
Order confirmed by Bedford Borough Council as an unopposed order on 23/10/24. Notice period ends 6 weeks from 31/10/24.
New route effective from 20/11/24
Harrold: Part of Footpath Nos 4 and 7 HA Diversion Order 2019
Confirmed 09/10/2019. New Route effective 21/11/2019
Harrold: Footpath No 10 Creation Order 2020
Confirmed 10/02/2021. New Route effective from 18/02/2021
Harrold: Footpath No 11 Extinguishment Order 2020
Order Withdrawn 03/03/2021
Kempston Rural: Part of Footpath No 14 HA Diversion Order 2018
Confirmed by Secretary of State 21/09/2020. New Route effective 20/10/2020
Kempston Urban: Part of FP4 Extinguishment Order 2013
Confirmed 28/04/2021. New Route effective 05/05/2021
Knotting and Souldrop: Part of Footpath No 2 HA Rail Crossing Diversion Order 2018
Confirmed 18/10/2018. New Route effective 12/07/2019
Little Staughton: Part of Footpath No 4 HA Diversion Order 2018
Order Confirmed 26/03/2019. New Route effective 03/04/2019
Melchbourne and Yielden: Stopping Up of Vehicular Rights over part of the UC6. HA S116 Stopping Up. Now known as Restricted Byway No. Granted by Luton and South Bedfordshire Magistrates Court 06/02/2019.
Milton Ernest: Bridleway from Old Milton Road.
Order confirmed by Secretary of State on 17/01/24. Notice period ends 6 weeks from 06/06/24.
New route effective from 31/01/24.
Milton Ernest: Bridleway 13 and Oakley Bridleway 7.
Order confirmed by Secretary of State on 19/09/24. Notice period ends 6 weeks from 03/10/24. New route effective from 17/10/24
Podington: Part of Footpath No 14 HA Diversion Order 2019
Confirmed 10/07/2019. New Route effective 28/01/2020
Podington: Part of Footpath Nos 7 and 8 HA Diversion Order 2018
Confirmed by the Secretary of State 29/01/2021. New Route effective from 19/11/2021
Ravensden: Part of FP 49 and 50 Diversion Order 2025
Order confirmed unopposed by Bedford Borough Council on 4 April 2025
Notice period ends 6 weeks from 24 April 2025
New route effective from 24 April 2025
Ravensden: Part of Footpaths 5 and 9.
Order confirmed by Secretary of State on 19/10/22. Notice period ends 6 weeks from 19/10/22.
New route effective from 26/10/22
Ravensden: Part of Footpaths 8 and 9.
Order confirmed by Secretary of State on 16/01/24. Notice period ends 6 weeks from 18/04/24.
Route stopped up effective from 30/01/24
Ravensden: Bridleway Creation.
Order confirmed by Secretary of State on 16/01/24. Notice period ends 6 weeks from 18/04/24.
New route effective from 15/02/24
Ravensden: Part of Bridleway No. 42 and Footpaths 8 and 11.
Order confirmed by Secretary of State on 16/01/24. Notice period ends 6 weeks from 18/04/24.
New route effective from 13/02/24
Ravensden: Part of Bridleway No. 10 and Footpath 29.
Order confirmed by Secretary of State on 16/01/24. Notice period ends 6 weeks from 18/04/24.
New route effective from 13/02/24
Ravensden: Part of Footpath 7.
Order confirmed by Bedford Borough Council as an unopposed order 15/02/24. Notice period ends 6 weeks from 29/02/24.
New route effective from 22/02/24.
Ravensden: Parts of Footpath No 11 and Thurleigh: Part of Footpath No 10 HA Diversion Order 2019
Confirmed 04/11/2019. New Route effective 28/01/2020
Ravensden: Parts of Footpath Nos 4 and 29 HA Diversion Order 2019
Confirmed 03/05/2019. New Route effective from 01/06/2019
Riseley: Part of Footpath No A17 HA Diversion Order 2020
Confirmed 30/09/2020. New Route effective 02/08/2021
Stewartby: Part of FP 3.
Order confirmed by Bedford Borough Council as an unopposed Order.
Notice period ends 6 weeks from 29/02/24. Route stopped up effective from 25/01/24.
Sharnbrook: Part of Footpath No 26 Diversion Order 2020
Confirmed 09/12/2020. New Route effective from 17/12/2020
Staploe: Parts of Footpath Nos. 8 & 8A Varying Order (HAV 074 STA)
Confirmed as an unopposed Order on 25/05/23.
New route effective from 20/07/2023.
Thurleigh: Rights of Way at Park End Farm HA S116 Magistrates Court Application
New Route effective from 27/01/2022
Thurleigh: Parts of Footpath Nos 10 and 15 HA Diversion Order 2019
Confirmed 11/09/2019. New Route effective 06/11/2019
Turvey: Part of Footpath No A6 HA Diversion Order 2018
Confirmed by Secretary of State 03/12/2019. New Route effective 28/01/2020
Turvey: Part of Footpath No A5 HA Diversion Order 2018
Confirmed by Secretary of State 21/01/2019. New Route effective 22/03/2019
Wilden: Part of Footpath A10.
Order confirmed by Secretary of State on 04/03/24. Notice period ends 6 weeks from 06/06/24.
New route effective from 01/04/24
Wilshamstead: Part of Footpath No 7 Diversion Order 2020
Confirmed 10/02/2021. New Route effective from 16/04/2021
Wootton: Footpath 10.
Order confirmed by Secretary of State on 01/03/24. Notice period ends 6 weeks from 18/04/24.
Route stopped up effective from 08/03/24.