Question 1

How should I read the planner’s route options?

Accepted Answer

The planner uses a routing service to calculate a path between your start and destination. When distinct usable paths are returned, it may offer Direct, Balanced, Green-lane focused or Wider-detour options. These names describe route-planning choices, not legal access categories. A Green-lane focused option can favour mapped lane segments according to your preference, but a mapped track or byway tag does not confirm that you may use it. Options vary with the available route data, and some may be omitted when no distinct usable path is returned.

Question 2

Which travel modes does the planner support, and does a preference prove my vehicle is suitable?

Accepted Answer

The planner supports motorcycle, car/4×4, cycling and walking routes. A travel mode, surface choice or difficulty preference guides route calculation only. It does not assess whether your particular motorcycle, car or 4×4 can physically use a specific track, or whether its width, clearance, condition, weather or your experience make that route suitable. Check the route and your vehicle against current local conditions before travelling.

Question 3

What do the route-context statuses and check dates mean?

Accepted Answer

Route context is labelled non-exhaustive and may include results from the Trail Riders Fellowship (TRF), the Green Lane Association (GLASS) and other public online sources. “Available” means usable public search results were returned for that group; “No usable results” means none were returned; “Could not be checked” means the search could not be completed. A displayed check date is when DayQuest ran that search, not the source’s publication date or the date a legal record was updated. Returned links and excerpts are search context: linked pages are not separately read, and no status confirms legal access. The planner marks legal access as unverified.

Question 4

What does it mean if a route or its supporting data is unavailable?

Accepted Answer

A route may be unavailable when a location cannot be found, no usable path is returned, or a routing service is busy or unavailable. Lane, place or route-context data can also be unavailable independently. An empty result or failed source check means the information was not available for that request; it does not mean that a route does not exist, that no restriction applies, or that access is allowed. Do not travel on the assumption that missing data confirms a route is open. Try again later and check the relevant local authority’s current records.

Question 5

Why is UK green-lane access coverage uneven?

Accepted Answer

There is no single comprehensive national register of current motor access to every lane. Records and Traffic Regulation Orders are published by local authorities, so coverage and formats vary by area. DayQuest’s coverage audit found examples of definitive-map records in Hertfordshire and Gloucestershire and restriction information in Hampshire and Flintshire, but it did not establish route-level coverage across the UK. OpenStreetMap is volunteer-mapped: mapped coverage and access tagging can be incomplete or inconsistent. Its UK access guidance also explains that definitive maps and statements cannot simply be copied into OpenStreetMap without the relevant local authority’s permission. Treat map data as a useful clue, not a complete or official access record.

Question 6

How do I check whether a route is currently legal and open?

Accepted Answer

Before setting out, check the relevant local highway authority’s current definitive map and statement and its current Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) or restriction notices for the route. Also read signs on the route and at its entrances. Restrictions can be permanent, experimental, seasonal or time-limited, and conditions can change after a planner search. A DayQuest route result, mapped label or source excerpt does not confirm that a route is currently legal or open for your mode of travel. If the records or signs are unclear, ask the responsible authority before using the route.