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Over the last few weeks we have noticed some of our favorite bridleways like the one from Claremount down to the Shibden Mill Inn have had a load of hardcore spread on them spoiling the run down.
I cannot understand why the council insists on wasteing money like this.
Anyone like to try and explain the reasoning behind it
Access for all and the legal status of bridleways mean they must be kept in good repair for walkers and horses not eroded and rough for mountainbikers
I blame the government spending cuts.
Margaret Thatcher ordered it from her lair.
Cheers TandemJeremy
We must be the only group of users who dont complain when the trails are worn.
Discrimination against mountain bikes thats what it is 😀
Have a look at [url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/2011/04/access-all-areas-a-rights-of-way-officers-view-part-1/ ]my article[/url] and scroll down to [i]Biking on bridleways[/i].
Basically bridleways have to have a surface suitable only for horses and there is nothing in law about appropriateness for bikes. Add this to the horsey bunch being more pro-active - and the silly way works are funded - this isn't particularly good news for bikers 🙁
The good thing though about hardcore (assuming they just chucked a load down and compacted it) is give it a few weeks / some good downpours and it shouldn't be too bad.
Sheffield city council have been doing the same to various bridleways around here as well and none of the user groups likes the work they are doing. Horses don't like the surface any more than we do. The council here are doing to try and reduce their maintenance bill in the future.
There is no requirement for the surface to be passable to any type of user only that the bridleway must be maintained to the standard it was when dedicated (unless substantial works have been done since at which point this could set a new standard), normally around 1950ish from memory. As schnor suggests only the use of horses is considered.