In article , Mike
writes
No, it is a Public Footpath, but because of this dispute, I believe that
plans are in motion for them to have access via another way (through the car
park of some flats) so that a fixed barrier can be put in place on the
footpath.
Such a barrier would be a stile which allows foot but not vehicular
traffic. Modern stiles have swing gates to enable passage through
without having to cock a leg over as with the older crossover types.


Statutory widths of Public Rights of Way unless otherwise recorded a
Footpath: 1 metre across a field; 1.5 metres at field edge.
Bridleway: 2 metres across a field; 3 metres at field edge.
Other Rights of Way: 3 metres across a field; 5 metres at field edge.

So this '3 metre' thing is about :-)
It is about a Public Right of Way (PROW) across which certain vehicles,
(usually farm vehicles) have been given permission to travel. Such paths
have evolved out of Public and Private Carriageways 'awarded' during the
Inclosures of Commons in the 1700s. Any legal action about them is
protracted and complicated because all PROWs are protected by Act of
Parliament.

--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.