Off Road Ramblings

By Roger Walton 

We all know about the CROW bill by now; Countryside & Rights Of Way Bill that went through parliament and became law.

We all know (or we should know) that it has been dramatically misinterpreted by some local authorities as a means of banning 4x4 vehicles from rights of ways.

Despite the fact that the Bill specifically stated that the rights of any one group of rights of way users should not take priority over any other group, some local councils have used the Bill as an excuse to downgrade Byways (BOATS) to bridle ways and many RUPPS can no longer be used by vehicles.

The New National Park Authority in the New Forest took action immediately it took over from NFDC, by banning vehicles from the few rights of way that existed in the Forest. NO consultation- no notice, just a little paragraph in the Lymington Times announcing that it had happened. 

Now I know that I have written about rights of way issues before so if you are bored with hearing about it just think for a moment. You may well think that there are plenty of off-road sites to use if the lanes are not available but are you really prepared to sit back and see our green lanes gradually closed off to us? 

Do you think it is fair that in the future, your kids may not be able to enjoy off roading? 

The right to roam was a Labour Party dream from the end of the Second World War. The party thought that returning soldiers should have the right to roam in the countryside and enjoy it, free from restrictions placed by land owners. Not a bad policy, but it took the Party over 50 years to achieve it.

Traditionally, rambling was a Labour activity and the Ramblers Association has been pushing for the Right to Roam for many years.  Having achieved their goal of opening up the countryside for their members, they are determined to close it down for 4x4 owners. 

Did you know that the cost of the Right to Roam project, was estimated originally at around £29 million.  This was the cost of salaries for the staff, new maps etc etc.  An audit has now revealed that the likely final cost will be nearer £70 million. 

Not content with their 1000’s of miles of new tracks, the Ramblers are now pressurising for coastal paths to be opened up over private land.

A recent survey showed that only a small percentage of the new tracks are used by Ramblers.  No prizes for guessing what happens when they get overgrown due to lack of use.

You have to admire the power of the Ramblers Association and what they have achieved by constant lobbying of MP’s. Contrast this to the efforts of LARA and GLASS who, despite brave efforts, have achieved little to keep our right to drive vehicular rights of way.

The difference is that the Ramblers Association is a national organisation.

We are not members of any national organisation because there isn’t really one!  There are about 150 4x4x clubs in the UK.  Membership probably runs about 150 each on average. If we take a membership as being a family or a couple, that’s about 50,000 people.  Add to that the Countryside Alliance, GLASS and LARA and we could probably count 100,000 or more people with off road interests.

Put them altogether in one organisation, persuade Jeremy Clarkson to be President and we might stand a chance!

I leave you with that thought!

Roger

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