Rights of Way

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Latest News

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10432490.Bikers_and_off_roaders_in_Appeal_Court_win/

How to find out about TROs / closures in your local area

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Latest TRO / Closures the club is aware of

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Your Local Rights of Way Points of Contact

Jeremy Bell

Solent and District Land Rover Club Green Lanes and Rights of Way Officer This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

07729955031 mobile

Salisbury Plain Update

I was recently asked by one of our members to look into a couple of possible Byway Closures on Salisbury Plain. After contacting the guys at Treadlightly, I received the following reply from Dale Wyatt, Wiltshire’s Treadlightly Ambassador:

The closure of the 'tails' and it's been on the cards for a long time. The MOD has used a military law called The Land Powers (Defence) Act 1958 to carry this out.

Basically the tails are dead ends running into the impact zone. The continuations being closed in the 1980s, and rather than close them at the nearest junction, the stopped them on the line of the impact zone (back then).

The problem is two of the tails cross each other, thus making a thru route. The other is marked as a continuous byway (Honeydown Bottom) on the OS maps, but in fact there is a section in the middle that is bridleway, but people still drive it of course (OS have been informed so next updates will show bridleway). The rest of the tails are rarely used and most are impossible to see on the ground.

Initially I was going to object, but I know if we do object they will only be closed by TRO on safety grounds. The evidence is stacked against us – I've seen it. However we have asked that if the MOD ever leave Salisbury Plain, the roads are returned to us (including the old CRBs closed in the 1980s).

So I have been negotiating lanes in return for the losses and aim to get back more Kilometres’ than we are going to lose. So far the MOD have dedicated three new byways (all good DMMOs (Definitive Map Modification Order) cases albeit, but possibly the first byway dedications in the country) and five Permissive Byways, one of which we'll be signing next month.

On top of that I took out my MOD contact out on a recce last month with a list of other lanes I would like to be considered for either dedication or creation of permissive routes (two of which are currently bridleway). If the closure of the tails doesn't result in a PI, then the MOD will consider my suggestions. If not, their time and effort will go into the PI.

And in additional to this, they consulted with me last month on lanes that have DMMOs on that I think should take priority in reclassification and they have put out the paperwork for these now as well (another three upgrades to byway).


So all in all, a great loss with the closure of the tails, but on the flip side of the coin we are making big gains co-operating with the MOD. I need to maximise this situation while my contact is still there as he may retire with the next two years and we may have someone replace him who has less interest in rights of way.
Hence why I haven't made a song and dance about the closures.


I hope that helps clarify the situation, but if you need further information, just ask.


Dale Wyatt
Wiltshire Ambassador, Tread Lightly!
Wiltshire Rep, GLASS
Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Don’t go playing on private land!

Recently I received an e-mail from a member of the public telling me that a couple of Landrovers with our “sadlrc.co.uk” club stickers on them had been seen driving in and out the “Bomb Holes” beside the Byway up at Pepperbox Hill near Salisbury.



This type of conduct is completely against everything this club stands for! It is made very clear by the fences and signs that the “Bomb Holes” are not part of the Byway and are in fact private land. The landowner has fenced off his land and using it is basically trespassing. The fence would have had to have been taken down to enter the area, which could count as vandalism or maybe even breaking and entering.



It is quite obvious that no vehicles should use the area which includes the 2 “Bomb Holes”, so if any of our members are identified using the Bomb Holes, or any other unofficial “play area” on private land without the owners permission, they can consider themselves no longer members of The Solent and District Land Rover Club and their details will be passed on to the police and the land owner.



By Jeremy Bell, with the full backing of the committee.