Pavement or ‘Footway’?

Footway has such a clumsy sound to it Perhaps it sounds too much like footwear. I see a footpath as an unpaved pavement

These are legal and technical terms.
A footpath may go through fields or up mountains.
A footway is that part of the highway which is dedicated to use by pedestrians.
The carriageway is that part of the highway which is fir the use of vehicles.
Highway is defined as a route along which people, animals under control and vehicles may pass freely.
Motorway is an invented term for a route which did not permit all classes of highway users eg pedestrians animals and smaller vehicles eg mopeds and bicycles.
Pavement has no legal definition and simple refers to finished surface or dressing.
Most roads have a surface which is technically a pavement ie metalled.
But this is rather arcane outside civil engineering and the word pavement is commonly used to mean footway.

I dont care what they call it , I am on a mission and rampage right now, about footpaths footways or whatever they choose to call them having wretched pot holes and holes dug up by such as Zoom, where they either dont fill them up and flatten then properly causing me pain on my mobility scooter, or much worse lately putting temporary fences up round bits of the pavement, expecting wheelchair users, prams and all pedestrians to step out onto the road with no protection at all. When problems arise , such as a burst water pipe, I totally understand the need, but I am constantly finding these things left blocking pathways with no sign of anyone working there or doing anything about clearing them away. The traffic wardens so keen to slap notices on cars, dont make any effort to deal with them, the police do not check up how long these obstructions have been there and we have to cope with the hassle. so I am waging war on these things, and becoming the annoyer of councils and companies, and whatever they choose to call the flipping things, I want them to be easy to use and let us move about the towns like everyone else!!

RSALLAN2002

Footway is a generic term for any thoroughfare that can be used by pedestrians. So using that term saves having multiple signs, which makes sense.

It also saves money because it fits on smaller signs.

Our council use it on footpath closure or repair signs

MawsRosie

Anyhoo, I’ve looked it up ( why didn’t I do that right away?)
And
^A footway is a precise legal and engineering term for a pavement or sidewalk running alongside a road, whereas a footpath is a separate trail away from vehicular traffic. They are not actually new names for the same thing; rather, official bodies use "footway" to accurately distinguish roadside walking paths from rural or park-based footpaths^

This is the official definition - why speculate further?

I think Pavement refers to a path which is Paved ... Footway refers to any path ...

Oldnproud

RSALLAN2002

Footway is a generic term for any thoroughfare that can be used by pedestrians. So using that term saves having multiple signs, which makes sense.

I agree.

Yes

Anyhoo, I’ve looked it up ( why didn’t I do that right away?)
And
A footway is a precise legal and engineering term for a pavement or sidewalk running alongside a road, whereas a footpath is a separate trail away from vehicular traffic. They are not actually new names for the same thing; rather, official bodies use "footway" to accurately distinguish roadside walking paths from rural or park-based footpaths

Mamie

I think railway, motorway, bridleway and footway has a certain logic.

I thought the pedestrian equivalent was walkway ?

Calendargirl

Walking through town this morning, the inevitable roadworks and cones scattered about.

Plus a sign saying ‘Footway Closed’.

Footway?

Did they mean ‘pavement’?

Yes, I think they did.

When did our pavements turn into footways?

I seen a variety of words on signs.
Maybe it was a hint to cyclists that they shouldn’t use it. I don’t mind what they call it as long as it’s a) well signed and b) not there for too long.

RSALLAN2002

Footway is a generic term for any thoroughfare that can be used by pedestrians. So using that term saves having multiple signs, which makes sense.

I agree.

I think railway, motorway, bridleway and footway has a certain logic.

Never seen this word used I must look out for it, I ve only ever seen footpath
I m with you Suelled bodiceea for me too

Pavement or footpath for me. At least footway does indicate for feet, not bikes or scooters.

I would say path and at a push pavement. Never sidewalk or footway. I don't like the Americanism creeping in.

Several of us have made the point, knspol, that footway is used by professional road engineers and highway departments, not by the rest of us! There is no suggestion that we should start to use sidewalk or anything else, and most of us will continue to say pavement or footpath.

For information, Oreo, Bear Scotland is in charge of some of Scotland's main/trunk roads. Ours used to be looked after by Bear, but now it's Amey.

The signs here always say footpath never seen one saying footway or even pavement.

Footway is a generic term for any thoroughfare that can be used by pedestrians. So using that term saves having multiple signs, which makes sense.

I'm depressed. I don't know what anything is called anymore.

Pavement, always !

I , too have notice that my local highways department use the word footway instead of footpath on their signs

Graphite

Footway is a perfectly good and legitimate word meaning specifically:

A way or path used chiefly or exclusively by pedestrians; a footpath.

2014 Plymouth Herald: We carry out regular inspections of the city's footways and roads but defects can develop very quickly.

Whereas pavement means just that:

A paved surface formed of stones, bricks, tiles, or similar materials fitted closely together.

There is also foot pavement which combines the two.

A pavement might be used by people with wheeled vehicles, bikes, scooters, wheelchairs.

Footway comes from German and pavement from French.

All that is true and perfectly legitimate, but at 80 I have been calling pavements …pavements. And footpaths …footpaths.
Footway just sounds odd. It may be legitimate but it is NOT in general use! Import from the US use maybe?
Rather like BoudiKa will always be Bowdiseea in my brain, however the pronunciation changes!
Yes I know it’s spelled Boudicia !

they will be calling it sidewalk next

I think foot way is a highways term meaning just what is says. Some footways are not paved, and pavements are not always for walking along.j

Wheniwasyourage

I came across footway a few years ago when I contacted Bear about repairs to a pavement for which they had responsibility, so I assume it must be the technical term used by transport firms.

Well I suppose we say motorway and highway and byway so footway seems right when doing work.