A Highways Act Section 31(6) deposit is a legal document in which a landowner acknowledges the existence of those public rights of way across their land which are recorded on the definitive map, but states that they do not wish to dedicate any more public rights of way. By doing this, they can allow people to use unrecorded paths, for example, permissive paths, without those paths becoming public rights of way.
The register contains information about all highways statements, maps and highways declarations that have been made under Section 31(6) of the Highways Act 1980, including the name of the person making the deposit, a description of the area it covers, and the date it was made or renewed. Deposits must be renewed every twenty years to remain valid. View the register for Highways Act 1980 Section 31(6) deposits here.
You can also view the register by appointment at County Hall, Northallerton. Please contact us to make an appointment. Copies of information can be taken, but there may be a charge.
The register includes joint deposits that have been made under both Section 31(6) of the Highways Act 1980 and Section 15A(1) of the Commons Act 2006. A separate register is kept of deposits made solely under Section 15A(1) of the Commons Act 2006, which can be found on the common land and village greens registers page.
