PDNPA has added to its list of lanes needing protection routes in the National Park which are in counties other than Derbyshire. The number of lanes on the list is now 36. The following have been added:Houndkirk, Sheffield,Jumble Lane, Sheffield,Moscar Cross, Sheffield,Lane near Whetton, Staffs,Limer Rake, Staffs,Swan ,Washgate, Staffs,Three Shires Head, East Cheshire,Charity Lane, Cheshire,Cumberland Lane, Cheshire,Ramsden Lane,Kirklees
There is now a group campaigning against off-roading in the Isle of Man. We have made contact and will be sharing campaign ideas.
Heavy snow led to cancellation of the March Peak Park meting which was due to decide whether to put a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) on Chapel Gate permanently excluding motor vehicles. This meant more delay before this fragile route is protected. (A subsequent meeting held in April has decided to consult on a permanent TRO for the route). Prior to this, The Peak Park had lost a high court action at the end of 2012 when the Trail Riders Fellowship (the motor bikers) successfully challenged an Experimental TRO which had kept motor vehicles off Chapel Gate for 15 months. There is currently a temporary TRO on the route, put there by Derbyshire CC prior to its doing more repairs.
The March issued of the newsletter has photographs ofall the lanes currentlyon the Peak Park ‘priority list’ and it introduces a new feature – Lane of the Month. It features the Hollinsclough Rakes.
Thank you to everyone who got in touch with us after they cialis online saw the BBC canada pharmacy online documentary on Sunday 30th October. The progarmme showed just how damaging and dangerous offroading is and how little the Peak District National Park Authority is doing about it.
The pressure being put on the Peak District National Park Authority by the Alliance and local residents is beginning to pay off. At a key meeting on 15 July, Members threw out a paper written by Peak Park officers which claimed that the Peak Park’s approach to 4x4s and trail bikes is working. Instead of accepting this absurdly complacent report, they decided on a thorough review of the Peak Park strategy andpolicy on offroading. They made it clear that they want more action and more resources put into protecting lanes and byways in the Park. A review group of Members has been set up. It will report to the full Peak Park Board in December. The Alliance will keep in close touch with the review and expects to see radical improvements in the Peak Park’s stance on offroading. The proof of the pudding will be when we see the Peak Park taking the lead on Traffic Regulation Orders permanently banning 4x4s and trail bikes wherever they are damaging the environment or are a danger to other people.
LAF behind the curve:The Peak Park Local Access Forum supported the officers’ report. The Alliance will be seeking a meeting with the Chair to find out how it came about that the LAF was so out of step with local feeling.
Long Causeway (Stanage Edge) has been repaired by DCC at considerable cost. It had on it a temporary TRO from the county council banning vehicles while the work was being done. Now the 4x4s and trail bikes are back and the damage will start all over again. Hardly a good use of public funds. And that’s not all. Despite Long Causeway having on it a legal right of way for horses, riders still can’t use it because the specification for the repairs failed to take this right of way into account.
Derbyshire CC has yet to make a final decision on whether to impose TROs banning vehicles from Washgate Lane (up near the head of Dovedale and the Manifold Valley) and on School Lane, Great Hucklow. So far, they have proposed banning vehicles over one meter wide on Washgate. This would still allow trail bikes. No news at all yet on School Lane. Watch this space.
The fate of many green lanes depends on whether or not they carry ancient horse and cart rights. Knowing howto research these legal rights can be crucial to protecting particular routes. It involves looking into historic documents such as enclosure awards and the maps that go with them. If you have these skills and would liketo get involved, please get in touch via our PO Box (PO Box 7976, Great Longstone, Bakewell, DE45 9AY).