PATH MAINTENANCE TEAMS
The Ramblers West Sussex Path Maintenance Team, after a Covid-induced delay, finally completed its first task on 25th May 2023 and to date in April 2026 some 33 task days have been arranged and 1013 manhours have been expended with an average of 12 team members per task, Task days are currently normally on the 4th Thursday of each month which means that team members have knowledge of the time commitment we ask of them but we occasionally introduce additional task days as required. Most of the tasks have involved vegetation clearance – both ground and side vegetation – but we have also installed kissing gates at both ends of a footpath we had previously cleared and we are being asked to undertake signage replacement and other furniture related jobs e.g. stile step replacement. On some tasks we are joined by the WSCC coordinator using specialist equipment such as a flail and a chainsaw and we are fortunate that 4 or 5 of our team members are also members of the WSCC volunteer team so we can call on their additional experience.
There are at present 35 team members on our volunteer list and we are always pleased to welcome additional members. It was originally envisaged that each Ramblers group in West Sussex would in time have its own path maintenance team but this has not yet been possible and the majority of our members reside within the Arun-Adur group area. There has surprisingly been a small problem with identifying suitable tasks but where WSCC have been unable to help we have normally managed to find suitable jobs – some of which arise from the inspections we carry out for WSCC. The Team is currently jointly led by David Purcell, the WSAFO, and myself and we are grateful to both the Ramblers Sussex Area and WSCC for financing tools and travel expenses for team members.
If you think this is a volunteer activity you might enjoy, please contact me, Mike Charman, either on
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Ramblers volunteer path teams are crucial to maintaining and improving paths in the places people love to walk. Teams carry out a wide range of tasks, including vegetation clearance, waymarking and signage, surface construction and installation of gaps, gates, stiles, steps and occasional bridges.
There are 194 (47%) Ramblers Groups in England, Wales and Scotland without a path maintenance team.
Ramblers path maintenance teams
Path maintenance teams carry out a wide range of tasks, dependent on their skill and experience combined with the requirements of the local authority.
Broadly, there are three types of activities that Ramblers path maintenance teams might engage in, with the agreement of the local authority. Some may focus on one of these, while others may do a combination:
- Path clearance: paths can get very overgrown, making them hard to follow or completely inaccessible. Working parties may go out to clear overgrown paths to make them easier to walk.
- Improvements to path structures: some teams, e.g. the South Wiltshire Heavy Gang, are focused mainly on the task of installation of or improvements to gaps, gates, stiles, steps and occasionally bridges. Teams may actively work to increase accessibility, e.g. always seeking to replace a stile with a gap or accessible gate rather than a replacement stile or kissing gate.
- Path wardens: some groups may provide roles for individual volunteers to patrol certain sections of path and carry out minor clearance or waymarking activities.
Ramblers support for path maintenance teams
Ramblers volunteer path maintenance teams can get access to support, insurance and resources to help them to maintain and improve paths.
This support includes:
- Personal accident and civil liability insurance
- 'Improved for you by the Ramblers' plaques
- High-vis vests (Welsh language available)
- Grant fund for tools
- Promotion of achievements through the path success map
- Training through Volunteer Development Days
Path maintenance volunteer role description
Role description for a path maintenance team volunteer
Path maintenance team leader role description
Role description for path maintenance team leaders
What Ramblers need from path maintenance teams
Ramblers ask teams to keep them updated about their activities so that they can support and help promote the work the team is doing.
All teams are asked to:
- Select 'path maintenance' as an activity on their group webpage on the main Ramblers website
- Tell Ramblers about your achievements so they can be added to the path success map
In addition, if the group has insurance for its path maintenance team through the Ramblers, it needs to provide Ramblers with:
- An up to date list of volunteers carrying out path maintenance work
- Copies of the completed Work Party Sign Off forms, or equivalent form used by the local authority
Insurance
Ramblers Insurance for Path Maintenance Teams
Many Areas and Groups actively engage in volunteer path maintenance or improving paths and rights of way. This is normally carried out in collaboration with the local authority or similar agency. Sometimes insurance cover is arranged by the local authority, and in these situations the local authority determines the conditions under which the Ramblers groups can operate.
Where cover is not provided by the local authority Areas and Groups may use the Ramblers insurance provision. Both civil liability insurance and personal accident insurance are available.
To find out more about the specific conditions of the insurance related to path maintenance teams, please see Section 4 of the Insurance Guide.
Useful documents
Working Party Health and Safety Checklist
This health and safety form is provided for path maintenance teams that are not required to complete a risk assessment by the local authority
This form is for working party sign off when the local authority does not have their own sign off form
You can find more insurance documentation in the Insurance toolkit.
Legal guidance for path maintenance teams
This factsheet offers guidance on the legal issues that should be considered by a team or individual undertaking path repairs.
Guidelines for waymarking
This factsheet looks at the Natural England guidance on waymarking and shows how Ramblers volunteers can undertake waymarking as a path maintenance task.
Useful links
Below are links to existing guidance about public path structures. These resources may be particularly useful for path maintenance teams who install path furniture.
Understanding the British Standard for Gates, Gaps and Stiles
These explanatory notes - produced by the Pittecroft Trust - cover eight 'rules' applicable to all compliant structures. Examples are given of a gap, a bridle/pedestrian gate, three kissing gates and two stiles. Rules specific to each structure type are shown beside them. Examples are not given of horse stiles (motorbike inhibitors), stone stiles, dog gates or the Kent carriage gap. All of these are detailed in the standard itself.
Understanding the DEFRA Guidance on Public Path Structures
This guidance document - produced by the Pittecroft Trust - gives some background and an overview of the DEFRA guidance authorising structures (gaps, gates and stiles) on rights of way.
DEFRA Good Practice Guidance on Public Path Structures
This document has been produced by DEFRA to offer good practice guidance for local authorities on compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and is a useful resource for volunteer path maintenance teams who actively install path furniture.