[Tagging] Difference between "yes" and "designated" in access tags

[Andy Townsend]

On 30/04/2024 14:51, Jass Kurn wrote:
> Need to point out for others reading this than I am in England, and 
> influenced by what I believe was likely the original intent of these 
> tags, that is mapping of the "English/Welsh, rights of way"
>
> I've always treated " foot|bicycle|horse=yes, as a means of showing I 
> confidently believe with evidence available that access is allowed. 
> Done with regard to the defaults for tag (eg don't add when 
> highway=footway)
>
> Designated & Permissive allow me to tag in more detail if evidence is 
> available to support tags
> I use ''designated" for where there is a demonstrable "right of 
> access" eg Specific recognisable signage, online usable data, etc, 
> which demonstrates a legislative or contractual, rights of way.
> I use "permissive" for the common British situation of ways being 
> provided on private land, and where the owner has displayed signage to 
> inform the public that the way is "Permissive" and not an 
> English/Welsh "Public Right of Way". (This should block the 
> private way becoming a "right of way" through continuous use.)
>
> Issues I have are separating "legal right of access" and the ability 
> to actually use the way. A common problem with British/Welsh rights of 
> way which do not have to be managed to to allow all foot users


Thanks to all who replied.  For what it's worth I can see why people 
would use "designated" if, for example, a cycleway was clearly built 
with foot, cycle and horse usage in mind; it would make sense to tag 
that as "designated" for all three modes. However, this only makes sense 
when the "legal right of way" for that mode is also "yes".  Problems 
occur when something is clearly designated for bicycle use but access is 
only permissive (there are sections of the UK's National Cycle Network 
in England and Wales like this).

With a data consumer hat on I treat "yes" and "designated" the same, and 
rely on other tags (the relevant PRoW tags for England and Wales, 
Scotland, and Northern Ireland) to indicate rights of way.**

Best Regards

Andy

** which leaves (for me, still wearing my "data consumer" hat) Ireland, 
which seems _complicated_: 
https://www.lawsociety.ie/Solicitors/knowledge-base/Practice-Notes/rights-of-way-in-rural-areas
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