Just a quick reply, 3m is the minimum for Bridleways as it allows two horses to pass side by side safely. Unfortunately we bikers are way down the list in terms of consideration. Horses are top. Horses don't like deep long puddles boggy ground and loose rocky ground. Crusher run or DOT type 1 is a preferred surface material due to its ability to compact predictably. Grass gravel (as used on PBW) is preferred for horses. Horses can struggle with grade reversal and rolling grade dips (IMBA specs) they prefer to step over small obstacles like stone cut off channels (which I hate with a Passion as I have to clean the buggers out all the time). What can you do, sign the ePetition about footpaths, set up a group like Singletraction and volunteer to help you ROW team to keep the eater off the trails.
Bike Forum
Trail Sanitisation - what to do
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Posted 6 months ago #
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To mr sonor again. Can you tell me just who has gained from the gravel?
It was a rocky track, so no mud it didn't lead between any areas of habitation. Are we to go on a sacred quest to ensure that every track is perfectly smooth so that if some unknown user ventures out into the nasty countryside they won't be spooked?
It is the countryside after all. Surely those awful mountainbikers are a bigger menace to this sensitive rambler than a bit of dirt. Are you going to give up biking just in case.
These are legitimate cycle paths that have been covered in gravel and rendered dangerous to ride.As for budgets if they have money to waste on these projects they are being given too much, and I would like MY money back.
Posted 6 months ago # -
rangerbill - Member
Just a quick reply, 3m is the minimum for Bridleways as it allows two horses to pass side by side safely.
Who came up with that one? Farms/stables don't seem to require it.
Posted 6 months ago # -
I'm going to contest this three meters and clean bit - as far as I know there is no statutory surfaced width for bridleways. The british horse society push the widths they want to see but this doesnt mean its the law. Moreover if it was a shooting estate or a wind farm putting a 3m wide gravel track over the uplands there would be and often is quite a hoo ha about it.
For best practice in upland path construction look at the guides by the British Upland Footpath Trust and Scotish Natural Heritage.
To be honest a well designed and thought out trail rides well as a consequence of good practice in path building rather than because it was designed for bikes.
And finally, the money ultimately governs the look - how much and who pays. Countryside managment isn't totally devoid of mountain bikers its just they're very good a keeping professional role and personal interest apart. That's not to say people dont draw on their experiences - every argument batted about a forum, down a pub or on a ride will very probably have been looked into or put forward. The companies working on rights of way construction know how to build bike trails, many of them do - again though they do the job they are asked to.
Posted 6 months ago # -
In the course of my role with SingletrAction, I did a walk around a Local Council owned area with a view to improving access/creating a trail.
It was a mixed group, a horsey woman, Friends of..., RoW officer, me and the council bloke. What really stood out was how hard it would be to please everyone.The horsey woman even asked if they would consider re tarmacking the road as it was a bit slippy! (you can imagine how smooth she wanted the BW).
The Friends of... lady was very concerned about a child being run over by a bike. I asked if it had happened? There hadn't even been a near miss!
I had my best, politicians hat on which is difficult for me. We were nearly back at the car park when two riders came past on a BW descent. The second rider slowed down but sadly the Steve Peat wannabe up front did his best to blow all my hard work!
As I have already said, my local RoW team are not anti bike so get in touch if you have any concerns about your local BW's.
Also, the ramblers have a voice because they are united. We on the other hand prefer to moan on the internet..
Posted 6 months ago # -
An interesting range of responses... I think the best course of action for me is to get involved with the process. I did attend a laf meeting at Leeds but couldn't at the time see how I could add value, but I do think it's worth doing if not just to see how the system works and put my two penneth worth in.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Hi, I am active in Friends of Baildon Moor and have recently become a Right to Ride rep with the CTC, with an off-road focus. I've been to two LAFs in Bradford and more to follow; I was the only MTBer there.
I do have a good relationship with the council too who are quite supportive of biking.
Personally, I was against the surfacing of the path to Sconce on Baildon Moor, if that is was referred to earlier but I don't think this will be the norm here. There are plenty of other routes on BM which are good technically and away from most other users and sensitive areas.David
Posted 6 months ago # -
BTW, on the thread: Downgrading of bridleways in Cullingworth
These are still ongoing after 10 years or so. The first, uncontested by the council, is going to public enquiry in Jan 2012. The other one will go to another PI in the summer.Both are opposed by range of groups doing good work, though I not sure how co-ordinated we all are.
Any new evidence as to use prior to 1952 as anything other than a footpath is important.Posted 6 months ago # -
I remember an article that Janet Street Porter did in a paper a while ago.
She is a keen rambler and was moaning about the approaches to some mountains being paved.
So it's not just bikers moaning.Posted 6 months ago # -
To mr sonor again. Can you tell me just who has gained from the gravel?
Whoever sold it to the council contractors? I've no idea what kind of gravel it is or even where the trail is. And honestly I couldn't give a ****.
Are we to go on a sacred quest to ensure that every track is perfectly smooth so that if some unknown user ventures out into the nasty countryside they won't be spooked?
So is this track Gravelly or smooth? Or are you somehow referring that the councils in this country have limitless resources to "sanitise" every bridleway. Which they don't. I'm with TJ on this, there are plenty of trails around that don't get this treatment and those that do will be weathered soon enough, surely the few trails that are smoothed out are a benefit to other users who like us mountain bikers may want to use them.
It is the countryside after all. Surely those awful mountainbikers are a bigger menace to this sensitive rambler than a bit of dirt. Are you going to give up biking just in case.This mountainbiker understands that there are other users of the countryside that may require different kinds of trail surface in order to access it. There are plenty of trails of all kinds for all to share.
These are legitimate cycle paths that have been covered in gravel and rendered dangerous to ride.
In that case they must be legitimate for other users as well. Perhaps instead of bleating about the temporary loss of a rough trail surface on an internet forum, you actually find out why it was done.
As for budgets if they have money to waste on these projects they are being given too much, and I would like MY money back.
A waste in your narrow me, me, me opinion. Your not from the south of the country are you?
Posted 6 months ago #
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