It is the cyclists who are making a mountain out of a molehill.

This comment could not be more literally arse-about-face if you tried.

chakaping – Member

“It is the cyclists who are making a mountain out of a molehill.”

This comment could not be more literally arse-about-face if you tried.

Par for the course.

Really guys, a 1000 person limit is not an issue.

the issue is the discriminatory manner. 1000 cyclists cycling through the forest is dangerous/inconvenient, but 95000 visitors (lets be generous and say 3 per car average, evenly split over the 3 days) >1000 cars per day for 1 event is absolutely fine. Nothing about the past issues strikes you that the NF council are an itsy bitsy anti cycling?

I think if local business want cyclist’s tourism ££’s then they should have a badge in the window saying something along the lines of ‘cyclists welcome here’

Or, you know, perhaps they could do something about the NFNPA to do more than pay lip service to the idea they disapprove of what’s being done in their names (as the NFNPA represents residents and business owners).

Latest number board for the UKCE/wiggle sportive……

I bet that’s going to get the net curtains twitching in Lyndhurst and rile a few people at the NFNPA. 😆

A few clarifications needed here. National parks have 2 statutory purposes 1. Conservation and 2. Promote recreation. If there’s a conflict conservation takes precedence.

The venders think their horsey activity is what gives the New forest its unique character, so they feel justified in their stance as achieving conservation.

The Authority staff aren’t to blame, they’re lumbered with a bunch of Members who are famously small minded. Anyone ringing up and troubling the staff aren’t achiving anything worthwhile, the Board won’t care.

Please dont blame those who run businesses in the forest, they need every tourist pound they can get!

I’ don’t buy this at all, if the local businesses were that bothered they could oppose the nimbys and Nfpa but they don’t so clearly they aren’t !

the Board won’t care.

That is part of the problem. They should care.

If they actually bothered to canvas the opinion of those who live and work in the forest and it was the unanimous feeling that limiting numbers was widely supported, then i’d be happy to accept their decision.But they have never done that.

Apparently there was a survey about how best to spend the cycling grant. But i dont know anyone who actually received it. I suspect it just went out to a “select” few.

The venders think their horsey activity is what gives the New forest its unique character, so they feel justified in their stance as achieving conservation.

As the owner and rider of a New Forest pony, there is a problem with this stance when it comes to the Wiggle sportive. Pony’s live in and around the forest. The sportive take place on the roads and starts / finish (at the behest of the NFNPA) outside the National Park, so there is no conflict between conservation, as the Verderers are not charged with ‘conserving’ the tarmac on the roads, and recreation.

From what I can see this is just a campaign to get the sportives out of the New Forest, and if local businesses are concerned, then they need to start making a lot more noise about it, assuming of course that they can, without the nimby’s turning on them.

I agree wholeheartedly with that, the problem is that there’s a technical difficulty in that the sandford principle, as set out in the act, states that

five of this Act and, if it appears that there is a conflict between those purposes, shall attach greater weight to the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area comprised in the National Park.

And it’s that catch all ‘cultural heritage’ that they claim to be protecting

Of course, there’s not much ‘cultural heritage’ about the car parks that they resurfaced with cycling facility money, or with the pedal powered cinema and interactive Display tables they bought with it and never used either…

The New Forest NPA’s own statement on their website shows the true motivation for this charter and the 1000 rider limit.

The important thing is that these measures should enable all road users to go about their business as usual even when an event is taking place.

http://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/news/article/679/cycle_events_organisers_charter_approved_by_new_forest_national_park_authority

i.e. The main perceived problem is for a few NIMBYs whom on a Sunday morning might be inconvenienced when driving their horse box to the local TESCO.

It has nothing to do with conservation, animal welfare, integrity of the national park, etc. As said previously it is a small number of locals just opposing cycling for no real reason.

No evidence or research has ever been presented to support their claims.

Also, whether it is for conservation reasons (which there really cannot be any) or for ‘cultural heritage’, then in order to impose rules/codes it seems necessary to provide evidence on how sportives exactly are impacting or ‘comprimising’ on these elements. It’s this lack of evidence, and the clear prejudice against cyclists that is so frustrating. I’d happily change my behaviour if it was having a discernable negative impact.

Please note in relation to many posts above, the head of the NPA is also the chief verderer. So no conflict of interest then 🙄

Good open letter here about the meeting by the nice chap who organises the Gridiron in the NF:
http://cycle-newforest.co.uk/democracy-new-forest-style-cycle-events-organisers-charter/

Suspect it will just get ignored though

Do you know what, I’ve never been minded to join the wiggle sportive in the area, as I ride those roads all the time. But, I might this time round as a sign of support and be part of the ‘resistance’

Funny enough, that was one of the reasons I joined a Wiggle ride there last September 😆

Most of the people I came across were polite and friendly but there were one or 2 who made it clear that we were not welcome – close passes when it wasn’t needed, ranting from their front gardens etc.

the issue is the discriminatory manner. 1000 cyclists cycling through the forest is dangerous/inconvenient, but 95000 visitors (lets be generous and say 3 per car average, evenly split over the 3 days) >1000 cars per day for 1 event is absolutely fine. Nothing about the past issues strikes you that the NF council are an itsy bitsy anti cycling?

I live down the road from Lyndhurst and the whole route into the forest via road is just gridlocked every time the new forest show is on. Hilarious irony.

OK, looks as though I’ll be driving through the New Forest and really need some stickers on my car to reinforce the fact that I’m a cyclist although that’s obvious from the roof mounted cycle carrier.

I thought of getting hold of some drum’n’bass to play really loudly whilst I park up in an inconvenient place to unload my bike and wobble from side to side on the road whilst ringing my bell and frightening their stray creatures.

What else can I do?

Sprinkle tacks on their (verderers) drives.*
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* don’t do this its stupid, much like the nimbys

“What else can I do? “

The main source of funding is a direct grant from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). (3.4ish million)

*they also seem to have gotten a family cycling grant – “In light of both recent and forthcoming increased procurement by the Authority,
particularly due to large grant schemes such as the Family Cycling” (? .5M) which as far as I can see came from “are funded by the Department for Transport through the local highways authority Hampshire County Council.”

So I’d try your MP – it’s the traditional public money issue – there is a bit of an accountability problem – in that you have no real control over how your money is spent and you cannot take it to another supplier……

edit – maybe got a “Local Sust Transport Fund” grant as well (nearly .5m)

Yes the NF had various grants to improve cycling facilities and boris type bikes.

My understanding is they voted not to spend it on cycling, but instead on road improvements, by widening certain roads that are perfectly fine.

I really want to see ‘Cycling Welcome’ or ‘Bike Friendly’ stickers in local business if they really do care about this.

Maybe wiggle should add ‘je suis charlie’ on the rider boards….’je suis sportive rider?’

If at any point a local stops or rants at me I’ll be recording them on my phone and it’ll be going straight on youtube.

If a few ride with go pros during the event and capture any of the closepasses you get then post those too.

The more evidence we have for unreasonableness the better.

DT78 – Member

My understanding is they voted not to spend it on cycling, but instead on road improvements, by widening certain roads that are perfectly fine.

AFAIK DfT awarded funding for cycling schemes. Once they had the money they changed (or abandoned) some of the schemes (such as the road improvements, bike hire), and as such had to hand back £1.5million:

BBC

Know your enemy

i have just spoken to the New Forest National Park Authority about what numbers we need to come riding (group of 10 of us) – the operator was very confused – eventually got put through to a nice bloke to explained it is only for large cycle events – I then explained with this sentiment I would have to look elsewhere to take people.

Number is 01590 646600 if anyone wants to spend 5 mins getting the message to them

Feels a bit like the Michael Moore approach: sticking it to the man by causing lots of hassle for receptionists (see also: Mark Thomas). While I’m sure a lot of us support the sentiment, the people directly and immediately impacted by lots of people ringing in with “questions” are not the ones who set policy, and indeed they’re often among the lowest paid people in an organisation.

Targetting comments directly to those at the top (assuming contact details are available) might be a better approach?

So I got ‘tac’d’ today. On the run from Lover to RP way. Only a couple of houses well away from the road. I’m thinking it was ‘tactically’ placed. Luckily I didn’t come off but its trashed the tyre. Not pleased

Report it.

Who to? Police surely won’t be bothered. i took a photo and stuck the tack into a wooden post so know where the evidence is….