2 Temporary closures
WSCC is following Government advice regarding the closure of Public Rights of Way in response to COVID-19. The network currently remains open and legislation does not exist that would allow WSCC, as Local Highways Authority, to close paths due to COVID-19 at this time. Should this change, we will respond accordingly.
Current advice is that, with appropriate social distancing in place, it is possible to use local Public Rights of Way responsibly. Please make sure you wash you hands thoroughly when returning home from walking on Public Rights of Way as you will have touched gates and stiles that may have been used by others.
Please see below a list of longer term temporary closures on our network. For enquiries about short term closures of up to 21 days, please contact the PRoW Team.
*Closure may be lifted sooner if works are completed ahead of schedule. An extension may also be required and we will state this from the outset if we are aware that it will be a longer closure.
To view the location of an affected footpath or bridleway, launch the iMap. Then select 'Path number' from the drop-down list and enter the relevant path or bridleway number in the search box.
Ansty and Staplefield
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 104CR - Closed for a distance of approximately 220 metres at location TQ331222.
- Duration: Closed for 24 months from 21 July 2020 until 20 July 2022*.
- Reason: To protect public safety while development works are undertaken on adjacent land.
- Map: FP104CR (PDF, 175KB)
Ashurst Wood
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 18aEG, from its junction with Hammerwood Road (TQ415367) south-westerly to its junction with Lewes Road (TQ415366) for a distance of approximately 80 metres.
- Duration: Closed for 6 months from 22 April until 21 October 2020*.
- Reason: To protect public safety due to the unsafe surface of the footpath.
- Map: BW748 (PDF, 120KB)
Balcombe
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 26Ba (part) - Closed from its junction Public Footpath No. 4Ba (TQ311311) heading southwards to its junction with Public Footpath No. 5Ba (TQ311310) for a distance of approximately 130 metres.
- Duration: Closed for 21 days until 17 November 2020, and will be followed by a further closure.
- Reason: To protect public safety due to a footbridge having fallen into disrepair.
- Map: FP26Ba (PDF, 364KB)
Billingshurst
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 780_1, from its junction with Public Bridleway No. 755 (TQ038238) eastwards to its junction with Public Footpath No. 780_2 (TQ045237), a distance of approximately 730 metres.
- Duration: Closed for 6 months until 28 April 2021*.
- Reason: To protect public safety due to a broken footbridge.
- Map: FP780-1 (PDF, 276KB)
Hassocks
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 9C - Closed from its junction with Public Footpath No. 10C (TQ297163) generally easterly to its junction with London Road (TQ302164), a total distance of approximately 535 metres.
- Duration: Closed for 15 months until 18 July 2021*.
- Reason: To protect public safety while property development works are undertaken on adjacent land.
- Map: FP9C (PDF, 203KB)
Hassocks
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 10C - Closed from their respective junctions with Deer Park, south to TQ212164, a distance from the road of approximately 215 metres.
- Duration: Closed for 18 months until 28 February 2021*.
- Reason: To protect public safety while development works are undertaken.
- Map: FP10C (PDF, 83KB)
Haywards Heath
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 19dCU - Closed for a distance of approximately 210 metres near Penland Farm (TQ322254).
- Duration: Closed for 6 months until 23 April 2021*.
- Reason: To protect public safety while construction works are undertaken on adjacent land.
- Map: FP19dCU (PDF, 174KB)
Haywards Heath
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 28CU - Closed from its junction with Fox Hill south-west to its junction with an East Sussex bridleway at the county boundary.
- Duration: Closed for a further 12 months until 4 March 2021*.
- Reason: To protect public safety while development works are undertaken.
- Map: FP28CU (PDF, 211KB)
Kirdford/Plaistow
- Affected route: Footpath No. 564 - Closed from its junction with footpath No. 627, east to its junction with restricted byway No. 633, a distance of approximately 1.7km; Restricted Byway No. 639 - Closed from its junction with footpath No. 627, south to its junction with restricted byway No. 640, a distance of approximately 1.1km; and Byway No. 3519, which runs parallel to a section of footpath No. 564 - Closed from its junction with restricted byway No. 639, east to its junction with restricted byway No. 633, a distance of approximately 710 metres.
- Duration: Closed until 24 June 2021*.
- Reason: To protect public safety while works are undertaken to decommission the anaerobic digestion plant.
- Map: FP564, RB639, Byway 3519 (PDF, 317KB)
Lancing
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 2048, from its junction with Old Shoreham Road (TQ204059) generally southerly for a distance of approximately 270 metres.
- Duration: Closed until 12 January 2021*.
- Reason: To protect public safety while surface reinstatement works are undertaken.
- Map: FP2048 (PDF, 321KB)
Rudgwick
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 1385, from its junction with Lynwick Street (TQ082338) south-easterly to its junction with Church Street (TQ086333) for a distance of approximately 665 metres.
- Duration: Closed for 6 months from 9 November 2020 until 8 May 2021*.
- Reason: To protect public safety due to a landslip undermining the path surface.
- Map: FP1385 (PDF, 349KB)
Rusper/Crawley
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 1511, from its junction with Tweed Lane (TQ249380) northwards to its junction with Charlwood Lane (TQ248386). for a distance of approximately 790 metres.
- Duration: Closed until 15 October 2020*.
- Reason: To protect public safety due to the footbridge being unstable.
- Map: FP1511 (PDF, 287KB)
Southwater
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 1669 - Closed for a distance of approximately 90 metres at location TQ162278.
- Duration: Closed for 6 months until 28 April 2021*.
- Reason: To protect public safety while development works are undertaken on adjacent land.
- Map: FP1669 (PDF, 317KB)
Steyning
- Affected route: Public Bridleway No. 3510, from its junction with Public Footpath No. 2600 (TQ176123), eastwards for a distance of 1.18km to its junction with Public Bridleway No 3511 (TQ184122).
- Duration: Closed until 19 August 2020*.
- Reason: To protect public safety due to a broken and unsafe bridle bridge.
- Map: BW3510 (PDF, 443KB)
Washington
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 2604, its junction with The Hollow (SU878054), running in a north-easterly direction to its junction with Public Footpath No. 2616 (TQ130143), a distance of approximately 1km.
- Duration: Closed for 21 days from 13 January 2021 until 2 February 2021, which will be followed by a further closure.
- Reason: To protect public safety due to a broken footbridge.
- Map: FP2604 (PDF, 247KB)
West Thorney
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 202 - Closed the whole way around Thorney Island from its junction with public footpath no. 3675 (SU753051) on the east side round to its junction with public footpath no. 3000 (SU765041) on the west side.
- Duration: Closed for 21 days from 13 October 2020 until 2 November 2020*.
- Reason: To protect public safety while development works are undertaken on adjacent land.
- Map: FP202 (PDF, 392KB)
West Hoathly/Horsted Keynes
- Affected route: Public Footpath Nos. 36WH and 2HK (Part) - Closed from the junction with Highbrook Lane (TQ262301) heading eastwards to the junction with Footpath No. 3HK (TQ372302) for a distance of approximately 270 metres.
- Duration: Closed for 6 months from 25 November 2020 until 24 May 2021.
- Reason: To protect public safety due to a footbridge having fallen into disrepair.
- Map: 36WH and 2HK (PDF, 319KB)
Wisborough Green/Billingshurst
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 780_1 - Closed from its junction with public bridleway 755 (TQ038238), east to its junction with public footpath 780_2 (TQ045237), a distance of approximately 725 metres.
- Duration: Closed for a further 6 months until 10 April 2021.
- Reason: To protect public safety due to a damaged footbridge.
- Map: FP780_1 (PDF, 281KB)
Worth
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 1W - Closed from its junction with public footpath No. 1W (TQ302392) south then east for a distance of approximately 580 metres to TQ304388.
- Duration: Closed for 21 days from 25 November 2020 until 15 December 2020 and will be followed by a further closure*.
- Reason: To protect public safety while property development is built on adjacent land.
- Map: FP2W (PDF, 501KB)
Worth
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 45W - Closed from its junction with Footpath No. 43W (TQ345396) eastwards then southerly to the junction with Footpaths Nos. 49W/50W (TQ348392), a total distance of approximately 575m.
- Duration: Closed for 6 months from 25 November 2020 until 24 May 2021.
- Reason: To protect public safety due to a footbridge having fallen into disrepair.
- Map: FP45W (PDF, 250KB)
Yapton
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 167 - Closed from its junction with Burndell Road (SU982030) south-south-west to its junction with Public Footpath No. 166 (SU981027) for a distance of approximately 310 metres.
- Duration: Closed for 12 months from 8 May 2020 until 8 May 2021*.
- Reason: To protect public safety while development works are undertaken.
- Map: FP167 (PDF, 152KB)
Yapton
- Affected route: Public Footpath No. 326 - Closed from its junction with public footpath No. 330 (SU974043) south-south-west to its junction with public footpath No. 329 (SU978037) for a distance of approximately 790 metres.
- Duration: Closed for 6 months from 24 August 2020 until 23 February 2021*.
- Reason: To protect public safety while development works are undertaken.
- Map: FP326 (PDF, 337KB)
Yapton
- Affected route: Affected route: Public Footpath No. 326 - Closed where it goes across the railway for a distance of approximately 75 metres at SU974043.
- Duration: Closed until 26 December 2020 and this will be followed by a further closure*.
- Reason: To protect public safety due to the footbridge having fallen into disrepair. Please contact Network Rail on 0345 711 4141 with any enquiries.
- Map: FP326 (PDF, 259KB)
4 Permanent closures
WSCC is following Government advice regarding the closure of Public Rights of Way in response to COVID-19. The network currently remains open and legislation does not exist that would allow WSCC, as Local Highways Authority, to close paths due to COVID-19 at this time. Should this change, we will respond accordingly.
Current advice is that, with appropriate social distancing in place, it is possible to use local Public Rights of Way responsibly. Please make sure you wash you hands thoroughly when returning home from walking on Public Rights of Way as you will have touched gates and stiles that may have been used by others.
To view the location, launch the iMap, select 'Path number' from the drop-down list and enter the relevant path, bridleway or byway number in the search box.
Kingston
- Affected route: Restricted byway number 3623
- Date closed: 9 June 1997
- Note: Closed to motorised traffic for the entire length of the path
Graffham
- Affected route: Restricted byway number 952
- Date closed: 31 January 2005
- Note: Closed to motorised traffic for the entire length of the path
Restrictions of use between Washington and Amberley
- Affected routes: Roads used as Public Paths (RUAPPs) Nos. 2673, 2092, 2693 and 2280 - RUAPPs is a previous category of right of way that were replaced by restricted byways in 2006.
- Date closed: 16 August 1989
Note: Closed to all vehicles except bicycles:
- Traffic Regulation Order Nos. 2673, 2092, 2693 and 2280 - Order (PDF, 61KB)
- Traffic Regulation Order Nos. 2673, 2092, 2693 and 2280 - Map (PDF, 468KB)