It has been reported in the Westmorland Gazette today that the ban on motorised vehicles on Walna Scar has been overturned. To be fair the Westmorland Gazette is not well known locally as the most reliable of sources but I am going to take it at face value.
The report reads;
[i]Off road motor bikes and 4x4s can use a Lake District pass again after a Government planning inspector overturned a ban.
Walna Scar has been designated a Byway Open to All Traffic three years after the rights of off roaders were removed by the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act.
"It's very good news," said Steve Pighills, rights of way officer for the Cumbria Trail Riders Fellowship.
"It's now available for us to use - but we have to show responsibility and consideration in doing so."
A decision regarding the rights of way on Garburn Pass, which runs between Kentmere and Troutbeck, is expected in October.[/i]
Thoughts?
It is a road.
The authorities have a duty to maintain it for motorised vehicles as well as anyone else.
Much like out access battles there are even less rupps and boats for bikers and 4x4 drivers and I agree with their fight .Much like us there are those who are sensible and those who are not. The sensible ones will work with authority to improve stuff
Just to clarify I do not have any specific objections to this. Just interested to hear others thoughts.
Good it'll get it back to being rough and tear up that sanitised crap.
given that the legal rights of way enjoyed (E and W) break down more or less as:
motors approx 3% of total
bikes/horses approx 22% of total
walkers >100% of total, yes > (ie 100% + R2R + tbd coast path etc etc )
IMHO seems fair enough, I think walkers have done very well (R2R, tbd Coastal path), mtbers well* (free custom centres, lot of) and motors shagged (from 5% to about 3%).
*Given the massive increase in 'mtbing' (*admittedly this appears to be mainly at centres and cheeky jumps) I'd suggest we should be looking at upping the 22ish% of bridleways to about 60-70%, I do think motors should be limited but in my experience there aren't many people about to complain (honeypots excluded) once you're further than a mile from a car park.... so I'd up their access - on SUITABLE trials to say 10%
(*yes I was a TRF trailrider for about 20 years)
I think common sense has prevailed
My reservation would be if a commercial operator now exploits this running big groups over it regularly
I believe the Inspector descision was made last year on Walna and Garburn. The LDNPA followed the guidance within the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act to change the status to Restricted Byway. Photographic evidence was produced by the motorised user groups showing use of the routes prior to 1930 when driving anywhere other than a road was made illegal. This photographic evidence proved conclusive in getting the status recorded as a BOAT, therefore allowing motorised use on historic evidence.
ampthill - makes a valid point relating to commercial operators as they have been known to ignore voluntary restrictions that other users have adhered to, because of 'commercial pressures'
Anyone want to guess what my MSc dissertation related to?
What was your MSc in thecrackfox? I start one in Rural Estate Management in October and this is an area I might be interested in when it comes to my dissertation.
Cheers