Golly
20th Oct 2005, 14:36
This from The TRF web site:
Trail Riders Fellowship (TRF) members listened with incredulity to the third reading of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill in the Commons last night. At a stroke the Government have effectively criminalised the active recreation of thousands of law abiding TRF members by removing vehicular rights from green lanes used by vehicles for a hundred years. What will this urban perspective Government ban next? Shooting is already in their sights - fishermen be warned.
The new law bans all recreational vehicles, including trail bikes and 4x4's, from all rights-of-way (RoW) not already recorded on the definitive map as Byway Open to all Traffic (BOAT). In addition the law gives National Park Authorities the power to impose Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) on byways in National Parks. The law will in effect, ban trail bikes and other vehicles from the majority of unsurfaced roads that they have peacefully explored since the invention of the internal combustion engine at the turn of the last century. The remaining legal byways are so few and far between, that there will be no viable way of linking them together to make a day trip. The result will be that bikes and 4x4's drive up and down the same route rather than making one brief passage in a day or even week. This overuse will lead to further closures and more concentration in honey-pot areas. Only 5% of trails allowed vehicles in the first place. Walkers were amply served by 95% of RoW which were already vehicle free and also the new Right-to-Roam but this was not enough it seems - their militant leaders want it all to themselves.
Anti-vehicle pressure groups, including the Ramblers will no doubt be delighted at this perceived victory but their celebrations may well be short lived. If they think they have eliminated trail bikes and other vehicles from RoW they are wrong. This new law will eliminate all legal and law abiding citizens and their vehicles but the illegal 'scramblers' and yobs will be unaffected by the new legislation. They are already illegal and will no doubt continue to use their untaxed, uninsured, untested vehicles but without the limits that legal TRF members and other governing bodies imposed by the presence of their members in the countryside. The TRF foresee an expansion in illegal use as legal outlets are removed. Problems such as binge drinking may be provided with additional resources it seems as licensing laws are extended yet peaceful trail riding outlawed. How much will it all cost? Loss of business and the enforcement by an already stretched police force battling to deal with serious crime and terrorism. Will the police receive new revenue or will they divert precious resource to chase the naughty boys created by the failure to acknowledge a legitimate recreation?
The TRF worked closely with the Government and Defra at all stages of the consultation and drafting process of this legislation. Despite assurances that the interests of legal trail riders would not be unduly prejudiced, the Government has seen fit to betray the trust of the TRF by its dishonesty, misrepresentation and lack of integrity. This despite the government's own research paid for by tax payers that vindicated the TRF position. The TRF will now, in the light of Government behaviour, review their policy of cooperation and would warn other minority interest groups not to trust or cooperate beyond their legal duty with Government departments in the future. They may well just hasten their own demise. Who will be targeted next by vociferous negative campaigning groups - motorsport enthusiasts, mountain bikers, even horse riders? Watch out!
Trail Riders Fellowship (TRF) members listened with incredulity to the third reading of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill in the Commons last night. At a stroke the Government have effectively criminalised the active recreation of thousands of law abiding TRF members by removing vehicular rights from green lanes used by vehicles for a hundred years. What will this urban perspective Government ban next? Shooting is already in their sights - fishermen be warned.
The new law bans all recreational vehicles, including trail bikes and 4x4's, from all rights-of-way (RoW) not already recorded on the definitive map as Byway Open to all Traffic (BOAT). In addition the law gives National Park Authorities the power to impose Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) on byways in National Parks. The law will in effect, ban trail bikes and other vehicles from the majority of unsurfaced roads that they have peacefully explored since the invention of the internal combustion engine at the turn of the last century. The remaining legal byways are so few and far between, that there will be no viable way of linking them together to make a day trip. The result will be that bikes and 4x4's drive up and down the same route rather than making one brief passage in a day or even week. This overuse will lead to further closures and more concentration in honey-pot areas. Only 5% of trails allowed vehicles in the first place. Walkers were amply served by 95% of RoW which were already vehicle free and also the new Right-to-Roam but this was not enough it seems - their militant leaders want it all to themselves.
Anti-vehicle pressure groups, including the Ramblers will no doubt be delighted at this perceived victory but their celebrations may well be short lived. If they think they have eliminated trail bikes and other vehicles from RoW they are wrong. This new law will eliminate all legal and law abiding citizens and their vehicles but the illegal 'scramblers' and yobs will be unaffected by the new legislation. They are already illegal and will no doubt continue to use their untaxed, uninsured, untested vehicles but without the limits that legal TRF members and other governing bodies imposed by the presence of their members in the countryside. The TRF foresee an expansion in illegal use as legal outlets are removed. Problems such as binge drinking may be provided with additional resources it seems as licensing laws are extended yet peaceful trail riding outlawed. How much will it all cost? Loss of business and the enforcement by an already stretched police force battling to deal with serious crime and terrorism. Will the police receive new revenue or will they divert precious resource to chase the naughty boys created by the failure to acknowledge a legitimate recreation?
The TRF worked closely with the Government and Defra at all stages of the consultation and drafting process of this legislation. Despite assurances that the interests of legal trail riders would not be unduly prejudiced, the Government has seen fit to betray the trust of the TRF by its dishonesty, misrepresentation and lack of integrity. This despite the government's own research paid for by tax payers that vindicated the TRF position. The TRF will now, in the light of Government behaviour, review their policy of cooperation and would warn other minority interest groups not to trust or cooperate beyond their legal duty with Government departments in the future. They may well just hasten their own demise. Who will be targeted next by vociferous negative campaigning groups - motorsport enthusiasts, mountain bikers, even horse riders? Watch out!