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The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines a road as "a line of communication (travelled way) using a stabilized base other than rails or air strips open to public traffic, primarily for the use of road motor vehicles running on their own wheels," which includes "bridges, tunnels, supporting structures, junctions, crossings, interchanges, and toll roads, but not cycle paths."[1] In urban areas roads may diverge through a city or village and be named as streets, serving a dual function as urban space easement and route.[2] Modern roads are normally smoothed, paved, or otherwise prepared to allow easy travel.[3] Historically many roads were simply recognizable routes without any formal construction or maintenance.[4] United States__ In the United States, laws distinguish between public roads, which are open to public use, and private roads, which are privately controlled.[5] United Kingdom__ In the United Kingdom there is some ambiguity between the terms highway and road. The Highway code details rules for "road users".[6] For the purposes of the English law, Highways Act 1980, which covers England and Wales but not Scotland or Northern Ireland, the term road is defined to be "any length of highway or of any other road to which the public has access, and includes bridges over which a road passes."[7] This includes footpaths, bridleways and cycle tracks, and also road and driveways on private land and many car parks.[8] Vehicle Excise Duty, a road use tax, is payable on some vehicles used on the public road.[8] The definition of a road depends on the definition of a highway, however there is no formal definition for a highway in the relevant Act. A 1984 ruling said "the land over which a public right of way exists is known as a highway; and although most highways have been made up into roads, and most easements of way exist over footpaths, the presence or absence of a made road has nothing to do with the distinction.[9][10] Another legal view is that while a highway historically included footpaths, bridleways, driftways, etc., it can now be used to mean those ways that allow the movement of motor-vehicles, and the term rights of way can be used to cover the wider usage.[11] |
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