SK53

Latest #Ramblers magazine has an item on the number of stiles on #PublicRightsOfWay in England and Wales. They used #FreedomofInformation requests, presumably from each Highway Authority, for the data. Grand total comes to around 140,000, or around 1 per mile of PRoW.

#OpenStreetMap has just over 82,000 as of today (#OverpassTurbo query: https://overpass-turbo.eu/s/2cFH). Not all of these will be on public rights of way, but between 50 and 60% of the total isn't bad. (Wales only represents ~5-6%).

overpass turbo

A web based data mining tool for OpenStreetMap which runs any kind of Overpass API query and shows the results on an interactive map.

Sep 29 at 2:59pmWeb
Show threadPaul Flo WilliamsSep 29
@SK53 In the Isle of Wight in August, I noted just how many stiles had been converted into gates; almost every one that we spotted around Brighstone, at least. Is this a trend?
Show threadSK53Sep 29

@hisdeedsaredust Oh yes, kissing gates are much easier for lots of people who can walk footpaths. @trigpoint is more expert on this than me, as he sits/has sat on various Ramblers Association committees.

About 6 years ago we did start thinking aboit how to tag various types of kissing gates by things like enclosure shape (triangular, square, circular) and size. The larger ones are more suitable for wheelchairs and will have a means to bypass the gate using, what used to be called, a RADAR key.

Show threadtrigpointSep 29

@SK53 @hisdeedsaredust Kissing gates are definitely more accessible than stiles

A friend of mine, who works with one of the local P3 groups told a story of when they had replaced a stile with a kissing gate. He went back a few days later to check it was ok and he saw an old man standing in the field just looking at the view
My friend asked if everything was ok and the old man said 'I haven't been able to get into this field for many years.

Show threadRobert WhittakerSep 29
@SK53 I'm pleasantly surprised if OSM has that high a proportion of stiles. I wonder if the Ramblers figure is an under-estimate though (e.g. because Surveying Authorities have incomplete records). It would be interesting to compare numbers quoted by councils in very well-mapped OSM areas.
Show threadSK53Sep 30

@rjw62 Leeds is only one I'm aware makes path furniture available as #OpenData. A total of 2.7k items (I've not tried to count stiles): https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/leeds-path-furniture_1289818#13/53.8549/-1.4160 (via Data Mill North). #OpenStreetMap has 442 stiles. I don't think I added a couple I've surveyed on a blocked path 6 years ago.

Update: worked on the umap and it gives about 880 stiles, so 50%