Biking rally trashing bridlepaths - any suggestions?

Luci07

Luci07

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A biking club has today, decided to run a rally (mainly on the bridleways) and has, as a consequence COMPLETELY trashed the bottom paths. To say that we are furious is an understatement - these are heavily used by riders and walkers.

Its too late now, but are there are steps you could suggest that we could a: make the point that their one off rally has ruined a public right of way for a lot of other people b: an authority we could appeal to to prevent it happening again? I am going to contact the National Trust to see if any of this was run over their land.

Oh and for anyone who wants to hack over Ranmore - you can forget the lower paths now ...
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Was this motobikes or mountain bikes?

I can't imagine mountain bikes doing that much permanent damage tbh, not any more than a constant stream of horse riders and walkers surely?

I agree that is probably isn't an ideal time of year to be running an event like this so maybe suggest they run the event at a drier time of year - without trying to get it banned. Never get the animosity some horse riders have towards cyclists - we all use the same paths - we should campaign together to get more access? Surely cyclists have just as much right to the countryside as horse riders?
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Walkers can use footpaths too so not like they are too restricted hopefully?

Maybe just don't use them for a while to leave them to fix themselves?
 
I think I read somewhere that one of the National Parks (EXmoor?) did stop mountain bikes using some paths as they DID cause more damage than horses.

I would speak to Access Officer at local council if there is one or BHS.
 
If this is a legitimate event, then permission will have had to be sought from the local council.

Get in touch with them and find out what arrangements they have made to ensure that horses and bikes can use the bridelway in harmony on the day of the rally. And what funds and timescale they have in place to repair the damage that the bikes will inevitebly do.


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mountain bikes - dont get me wrong, I have no issue with mountain bikers normally as I appreciate these are public right of ways. However, as the ground is so water logged, you would have thought someone would have thought that a high volume of bikes would cause a problem (which they have). We are not talking 3 or 4 but an actual rally. What they have done is spoilt this for everyone who wants to use these paths. Normal volume of horses/walkers/bikes would have been fine.
 
Your local Council will have an Access Officer, speak to them as in some cases the Local Authority are responsible for keeping public rights of way open and accessible.
 
On the other hand there are plenty of other paths. They will recover, and anyway, next it will be complaining about the hunt, or ramblers. Its just bad weather and bad luck with their timing. Chill.
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All ROW users have a duty to respect other users and this was an individual decision do not pass it off on to the organiser. Horse riders in many areas do not use bridleways in winter where they get badly churned up and that should go for other users as well.
 
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On the other hand there are plenty of other paths. They will recover, and anyway, next it will be complaining about the hunt, or ramblers. Its just bad weather and bad luck with their timing. Chill.
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I think the point is that there aren't 'plenty of other paths'.
Thats like saying trashed fields will miraculously recover - they won't til next summer!
Last time the hunt went round the local bridlepaths they were absoloutly wrecked for the rest of the winter as 40 horses in one swoop does a heck of a lot more damage than a couple a day max, its the same principle!
 
Thank you Littleme.

and no, while we have a lot of ramblers/dogwalkers they do not trash the paths - who do you have walking around yours? 1 rally 1 day = unable to use those paths for the rest of the winter.
 
The cyclists have every right to use the bridleway. However it may be that the bridleway needs to have some work done on it such as drainage and re-surfacing so that it can be used all year round. We have done this to a number of bridleways and byways in this area where before they would get churned up in wet weather now they do not.

I would suggest you contact the local County Council Access Officer and see if money could be put aside in the next budget for this to be done. Also have a chat with your local BHS bridleway officer who will be pleased to assist.

When contacting the local County Council acess Officer always write enclosing a map that shows the precise location of the route in question and where the mud is. Send it by Royal Mail 'Signed For' delivery service so that there is no doubt they have received it.
 
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