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Public footpath maintenance contracting

Hi, has anyone here had experience maintaining footpaths?I've a background in commercial de veg (as a subby) and can build bridges, stiles, fencing. I'm used to paperwork and wild goose chases to find access.I'm wondering what the rates are like, how it's priced, what umbrella companies there are to work for, insurances needed, do I need a 4x4, can I do it with a small van, paperwork, can you work solo?I have pli of 2 million, ticketed for all my tools, Eli 10 million and probably enough kit to get started as a 2 man team, maybe 3 at a push.Getting a bit sick of missed days due to weather, and unsure about gauranteeing employees/subbys work in domestic gardens.Cheers in advance

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  • That was written in paragraphs!
  • Last time I subbed rates were IIRC 11p/m for soft (strimming) and 17p/m for hard. Bear in mind that hard could be opening up a bridleway you can barely walk through to 3m tall and 3m wide! This is going back a few years mind.

    If you are going to do the whole shebang you will need a pedestrian flail at the least. The guy I subbed to used a compact tractor and the output from that (where you could use it) balanced the figures where the hard clearance was hard going (excuse the pun).

    The main thing I did was reccee the routes with a scrambler bike and work out exactly what was needed. This was essential, otherwise my guys would have to take all the tools when there may only be a couple of branches and the rest was strimming, despite the whole route being marked as hard clearance. Then I guided my teams to the access points. The maps were thirty years old black and white photocopies which made life difficult.

    Laminate your maps too, well worth the few quid. With regard to H+S, make sure your guys know how to call up GPS co-ordinates on their phones.

    I can't remember the rates for stiles, etc, but farmers are often not pleased to see you. Veg would be my preference were I to do it again.

    • So de veg you can get away with a van rather than a 4x4? And the meterage is floor area rather than volume? Was the waste cut and mashed or chipped or left in a pile? 17p/m doesn't sound great for hard. Rail was over £3/m for inspection strips, but there's a lot of red tape there
    • Is there a pm function on this site? It would be good to have a quick chat if you have the time and inclination
      • PRO

        Yes, there is Ben. You need to send a friends request to the member you want to chat with.

      • Might as well post it here for other members to see mate. Meterage is linear meters to the spec of the path type- 1m wide, 2m high for footpaths and I think 3m by 3m for bridleways/RUPPs

        We just mashed the waste up or if it was a lot of hard clearance forked it to the side. Rates may well be better but judging from the recent calls I've had from landowners wanting stiles or gates put in that the council have given them, I'd imagine there is less overall money to go around.

        • So that's 17p for 2 cubic metres? 1 along the floor and 2 up? I appreciate things vary, but didyou get good long stretches or was it piecemeal? Was it through an LA or an umbrella company like ground control or Glendale?

  • PRO

    Have you tried a Google search?

    Andy

     

    https://www.pathsforall.org.uk/component/option,com_docman/Itemid,6...

     

     

    https://www.pathsforall.org.uk/component/option%2Ccom_docman/Itemid%2C69/gid%2C1163/task%2Cdoc_down…
  • PRO

    V14 path strimming 3 metres wide £ 0.23/ metre

    Andy

    https://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/ewgs-on009-standard-costs.pdf/$file/ewgs-on009-standard-costs.pdf

     

    Forestry Commission - PDF Document - ewgs-on009-standard-costs.pdf
    • Thankyou andrew, very helpful posts

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