Who are we?
The PDGLA was set up in February 2011 to bring together everybody who wants green lanes in the Peak District to be closed to recreational offroading.
We are supported by the Ramblers Association, The Campaign to Protect Rural England, Friends of the Peak District, the British Horse Society, Peak Horsepower, Rocking the BOAT and, representing parish councils in the Peak District, the Forum for Ancient Byways.
We are modeled on the Yorkshire Dales Green Lanes Alliance (YDGLA) and we are very grateful to them for their advice and for allowing us to draw on the content of their own web site. Set up in 2002, the YDGLA has successfully campaigned for its own National Park to start protecting the green lanes of the Yorkshire Dales. The PDGLA has started a similar campaign for the Peak District.
Eighty-seven per cent of people responding to a 2004 ICM opinion poll said that recreational offroading should be stopped in national parks. We are building a coalition of individuals and organisations in and around the Peak District who share that view.
Membership is open to everyone (individuals, organisations and businesses) who wants to see an end to off-road vehicles on green lanes in the Peak District.
Aims
The aims of the PDGLA are to:
- Campaign for the exclusion of mechanically propelled vehicles, driven or ridden for pleasure (offroading), from the green lanes of, primarily, the Peak District.
- Encourage the Peak District National Park Authority to pursue more vigorously its primary statutory purpose to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area by limiting unsustainable use of green lanes.
- Encourage the Highway Authorities to pursue more actively their duty to manage the use of highways maintainable at public expense by limiting and repairing surface damage to green lanes and improving their safety for all users.
- Seek changes in the law if current legislation appears unable to protect green lanes.
- Record and publicise the damage to green lanes that is presently being caused by offroading.
- Form alliances with other groups that have similar objectives.
How we campaign
We:
- Publicise damage to green lanes done by recreational motor vehicles.
- Lobby the Peak District National Park Authority and the highway authorities within the Peak District to use traffic regulation orders to close green lanes to motor vehicles.
- Take part in, and encourage our members and supporters to take part in, consultations on traffic regulation orders intended to close green lanes to motor vehicles.
- Oppose wherever possible applications from recreational motor vehicle users to have green lanes designated as Byways Open to all Traffic (BOATs).
- Carry out research on historic rights of way on routes subject to applications to be classified as BOATS.
- Support and encourage the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute illegal use of motor vehicles on green lanes.
- Are building an alliance of individuals and organisations opposed to the use of recreational motor vehicles on green lanes.
- Lobby for effective, permanent, vandal-proof signage to be put in place to make it clear when a route is not legally open to recreational motor vehicles.