End of the road for Greenlaning...

[Rusty]

This was published by the TRF today..
Big brother is watching and listening right now.


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!

Published by the Trail Riders Federation.

Just incredible eh?
Rusty

[Robbo SPS]

Gutted personally. This was going to be another toy for me and an ace way of seeing the country.

What will the bike manufacturers say ??

 Surely it will effect people's jobs ?

And how will this be policed ? By the Police ? Surely they have more important stat's to keep to ?

Will these people also be branded criminals ? I was under the impression that the deputy boss of Greater Manchester Police ( co-ordinator for Bike Safe ) is a fairly handy off roader ?

[Ferrari Spider]

What are they up to.  What a waste of time.  Surely the government have better things to be concentrating on.  Lots of head shaking and tutting this end.

[mgmark]

So the fun police win again.   This has been the subject of a few recent editorials in the All-Wheel Drive Club and, like, Rusty says, previous readings had been deferred and amendments inserted - to the point at the last reading that it seemed to be a half-sensible bill.   There has been an issue with the use of private land for off-road motorsport this year - the second round of the BORC this year at Ellesmere only went ahead because the landowner effectively stuck two fingers up at DEFRA - they had threatened to withdraw his agricultural subsidies if he let the event go ahead.   The Tunbridge Wells round fell foul of agreeing restitution for any damage caused - hence all bar one of the BORC rounds this year have been on Forestry Commission land.   

I imagine that there will be more of an effect on the bike riders that 4x4s in terms of the tracks/trails open.  As to how any legislation will be policed, just watch the barriers, fences and gates start going up - that'll stop much of it without active policing.   But, as you say, the law-abiding majority will suffer whilst the hooligan element will just break the law.

The solution?   I think head for France.   The off roading and trail riding there is seemingly second to none - we're seriously looking at competing in the spaceframe next year in some of the French hill rallies - decent terrain and decent distances - like about 10 times the distance of the BORC rounds.   Plus there's Le Mans.   And the wine and food.   Maybe emigrating to France is the answer.................

MG Mark

[Steve Pyro]

The solution?   I think head for France.   The off roading and trail riding there is seemingly second to none - we're seriously looking at competing in the spaceframe next year in some of the French hill rallies - decent terrain and decent distances - like about 10 times the distance of the BORC rounds.   Plus there's Le Mans.   And the wine and food.   Maybe emigrating to France is the answer.................

MG Mark

Ten more years of toil ................... then, I'm off too.


To be honest, with regard to the current dictatorship, I'm not at all surprised.

Instead of concentrating their efforts on the real issues that are affecting the country, they seem fit to waste everyones time and money by passing legislation to criminalise Mr. Dave Average's pastimes and hobbies.

f**k them, I'm off to Shangri La where the grass IS greener.

[mgmark]

Here's the consultation document on the DEFRA website - makes interesting reading, and the thinking behind it is apparent.   The list of organisations consulted includes the main off-road vehicles interest, but of course the number of those is minimal compared to long list of others.   It will take nearly 5,000 miles of current tracks in use out of the equation.    Oh, and instead of defendants being able to cite previous vehicular usage as a defence - guess what?  Now you can't.   

http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/mpvehicles/consultation.pdf

The list of what else the government should be doing, but is consummately failing to do anything about or failing dismally in implementing solutuions, is both long and illustrious.   My own grand plan involves a fully kitted-out LWB Land Rover and, other than crossing the Channel, involves no particualr destination - in fact I have just been reading and drooling over the first part on article of someone doing the same in emigrating to New Zealand - driving via Africa, Middle East, Asia and Australia......the power of dreams


MG Mark

[DickieAttwood]

I was just about to sit down and have a cup of tea. Now i'm bloody furious.

The vast majority of the country couldn't give a toss about about greenlaning, never heard of it even. It's a tiny amount of people making a large amount of noise that gets this kind of bill off the ground.

As an MTB'er I sympathise, I recognise the threat. So in true British style I'm going to have that cup of tea and not make a fuss so that the 'anti-everything-that-I-don't-like brigade' can get stuck into their next small minded campaign. I did sign the petition though...

D.A. [two sugars]

[Rhino]

After the balls up in the way the goverment handled the foot and mouth crisis some farmers have opened their tracks to 4x4s to use, this you have to pay for.
By threatining loss of subsides does this stop the farmers getting extra money for a sensible side earner?

[DickieAttwood]

Organised MX events where the Farmer profits by the use of the land makes the farmer liable to have his subsidies cut [ ] [I'm sure thats the case now anyone confirm this?]

Charging for the use of tracks by others I'm not sure about either - but I am sure the anti-vehicle crowd will stick their sodding oar in somewhere. Good point this though, I suppose that farmers 4x4's or quads etc are exempt from the subject of this thread - how else do they get around?

D.A.

[Lorry]

Good point.  How are the farmers going to get around?

I've complained about the government elsewhere.  Yes they do have more important things to do.

We did manage to stop some speed bumps being put in locally.  (They don't stop accidents but do stop kit cars and caravans).  Lets march on Westminster now.

[mgmark]

Sadly, it's quite specific - the only vehicle activity that a farmer can get away with is "directly connected to the agricultural use of the land" or the loss of subsidy beckons - hence the issues the BORC had at Ellesmere eralier this year - so his 4x4, tractor etc is OK, but opening it up for use by others is seemingly not.

MG Mark

[Lorry]

The penny has just dropped.  They've managed to mug the foxhunters without blood on the streets and realise they can probably do it to everybody else they don't like.

[Andy Zarse]

It's death by a thousand cuts guys and is entirely predictable.

I recall posting this sort of thing would happen when we had our little debate on the hunting ban issue. One mans hunting is anothers green laning, is anothers "binge drinking", is anothers smoking, is anothers hot rodding... ad infinitum. We will be left only with football and Coronation Street as legal amusements.

Do I detect the foul hand of Prescot here? The fat stinking waste of spunk wants to cover the south of England in houses yet won't let Brighton and Hove Albion build a new footy stadium on a piece of waste ground. Well Jesus H Christ buying anal beads! I for one have had enough of his pernicious nanny state. God, I hate all politicians, they think they know f**k*ng everything, and yet don't have the sense that God gave a goldfish. Identity cards, phone tapping, black boxes in our cars for "road charging", etc etc. This is the end of freedom and yes, big brother IS watching. 

[Steve TTTD]

It won't matter anyway, if the DVLA get their plans through, because you won't be able to use anything other than this year's soft roader with it's standard tyres on it.

The attacks are coming from all directions and everyone needs to get together and put up a united front to get them fought effectively.

[mgmark]

everyone needs to get together and put up a united front to get them fought effectively

Everyone involved did try - just look at the list of organisations consulted in the DEFRA document - for sure, the likes of the All-Wheel Drive Club, the British Off-Road Association and trail riders etc weren't saying "oh that's OK then".   Sadly though, it is a relative minority interest in terms of the numbers involved and the political interest has been coloured by other vocal (but supposedly more envornmentally friendly) groups and the ar**holes on bikes or in 4x4s who have mucked it up for the majority of sensible law-abiding off-roaders.   Harrumph.

MG Mark