definitive map

{{Short description|Record of locations of public rights of way in England and Wales}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}

{{Use British English|date=November 2017}}

A definitive map is a record of public rights of way in England and Wales. In law it is the definitive record of where a right of way is located. The highway authority (normally the county council, or unitary authority in areas with a one-tier system) has a statutory duty to maintain a definitive map. In national parks, the National Park Authority usually maintains the map. The Inner London boroughs are exempt from the statutory duty, though they have the powers to maintain a map: currently none does so.

Details of the definitive map process are set out in the Natural England document A guide to definitive maps and changes to public rights of way.https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/414670/definitive-map-guide.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}

Each right of way also has a written description referred to as the definitive statement. Generally the definitive map takes legal precedence over the definitive statement.