Margate Air show heavy-handed restrictions
Are Thanet council getting pettier, can any one explain why the council thought it necessary to cordon off large sections to Thanet outside of the air show arena. Also have the organisers got a section 106 agreement load of old nonsense as Manston airport does. I should think the council created more nuisance than Manston airport has in the last ten years.
Was it legal for the council to block areas outside of the showground or just arrogance please comment?
Public Rights of Way - Enforcement
ReplyDeleteThe Highway Authority has a legal duty to assert and protect the rights of the public to use Public Rights of Way's (PROWs)
and also to prevent their obstruction. An unauthorised obstruction may render those liable to criminal prosecution and fines.
The Council have powers to remove obstructions from PROW, e.g. any lawful obstruction that is not removed may render those
liable those responsible to fines under Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980.
Any work to a PROW must be authorised by the Highway Authority and requries a legal basis to take place.
Under Section 130A Highways Act 1980 any member of the public can serve notice on the relevant Highway Authority to remove
obstructions from PROW in certain situations.
Please contact the PROW team on 0121 569 4008/4151/4219 if you believe a route has been obstructed.
Public rights of way
. Can I remove an obstruction to get by? Yes, provided that (a) you are a bona fide traveller on the path and have not gone out for the specific purpose of moving the obstruction, and (b) you remove only as much as is necessary to get through. If you can easily go round the obstruction without causing any damage, then you should do so. But report the obstruction to the highway authority and/ or the RA.
authority or excuse:
· disturb the surface of a public right of way that crosses your land;
or
· block the free passage along a right of way (such as by locking gates, growing crops, blocking the route with electric or
barbed wire fences, or removing way-marking signs).
J.G.Burns