Rural Payments and Services

For recent changes to this guidance, please see the bottom of the page.

The aim of this item is to provide the effective drainage that is essential for paths to be comfortable to use and to avoid erosion and deterioration. Drainage capacity should allow for severe weather flows.

The open drainage ditches generally run beside and parallel to the path to intercept, channel and divert water, and culverts generally cross below paths to take water from one side to the other.

Any land is eligible and the drainage should be part of an upgraded or new path.

Open ditch – V-shaped or U-shaped section:

• excavate ditch by machine
• 200 to 300 millimetre deep channel
• 300 to 450 millimetres wide at top
• sides angled slightly for stability
• spoil should be spread evenly and neatly on the lower side of ditch

Piped culverts:

• excavate trench (by machine) of sufficient depth to fully intercept drainage water and to allow a level finished-path surface
• lay sub-base in bottom of trench
• place twin-wall plastic pipe on sub-base
• cover pipe and back fill trench with sub-base
• build 150 to 450 millimetre thick stone headwalls around both pipe ends
• you must take and retain for inspection dated photographic evidence of the construction phase, to include the works below ground level

You can claim:

• open ditch: £1.88 per metre
• piped culverts: 300 millimetre diameter pipe: £143 each
• piped culverts: 450 millimetre diameter pipe: £395 each

The inspectors will check:

• the location and extent of the work

Open ditch – V-shaped or U-shaped section:

• ditch excavate by machine
• 200 to 300 millimetre deep channel
• 300 to 450 millimetres wide at top
• sides angled slightly for stability
• spoil should be spread evenly and neatly on the lower side of ditch

Pipe culverts:

• you have taken and retained for inspection dated photographic evidence of the construction phase, to include the works below ground level

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