stopped by guy from local livery stables today who wanted to point out that i shouldn't be riding the track i'm on – tried to be polite and said i'd been riding it for more than 15years and was well aware not a right of way but had been trying to get that changed as had been used by local people for many many years
rant follows mostly aimed at MX and Quad riders – "allowing MTB's encourages them" "horse riders have to pay FE for a licence" etc

his finishing statement was i build this track and its illegal for you to use it

….quick check on the 1891 ordnance survey map and its there – must have been older than he looked!

The age old gerroffmoiland argument.

How long have people been cycling on it? Got any proof that's been going on 20 years or more? If so, you may well have a right of prescription without needing to go for formal ROW amendments.

i can find plenty of people that have walked along it for 20years but i suspect if went for the 20year ruling it would end up as a public footpath
– meanwhile i had it included in the PROW as suitable for linking the TPT to other local trails
the guy was obviously aware of the 20year rule as he backed down a bit when i said i'd use since 1993 and I could easily find people who had used for more than 20years

it was the bare cheek of the statement that he'd built the track that got me

"was well aware not a right of way"
I think i've spotted the problem here. No RoW so its his drive then that people keep on tresspassing on. Would you like it?

Would you like it?

its a track that doesn't pass his property part is used by anglers to access the river – there are plenty of anomolies in what has and hasn't been made a public ROW in the area, – mainly because in the 50's when the decisions where made it was part of the Earl of Wharncliffe's estate and surprise surprise there are very few public rights of way in the area

any chance of a link to the track?

Anglers – do they have/pay for fishing rights? if so then access would come with that.
Just look at it from his point of view, there is no RoW, theres nothing on the DM.
Are you really surpised he had a pop?

Are you really surpised he had a pop?

no – as i said just the cheek of the statement that he'd built the track

any chance of a link to the track?

googleearth

Ah, i've never used that track, seen it but never used it.

he may well have resurfaced the track but as it leads to a railway crossing, i'd question the validity of the track being his.