In 1949 County Councils and former County Boroughs in England and Wales and Surveying Authorities, were given the means to legally map Public Rights of Way (PROW) in their area, classifying them as footpaths, bridleways or Roads Used as Public Paths. The process comprised three stages: draft, provisional and definitive. The resulting Definitive Map and Statement for each area would be taken as conclusive evidence that a route shown was a PROW at a specific date in the process, the relevant date. A PROW is a way, which the public have a right to pass and re-pass providing that the public stay on the route and do not cause a nuisance or obstruction. Sandwell Council (acting in its capacity as Highway Authority for its area) has a legal duty to assert and protect the rights of the public to use these accesses and also to prevent their obstruction.