RIDGEWAY RIDING BAN!!!

"Alun Michael, the Minister for Rural Affairs, has unveiled details of a seasonal ban on all recreational motor vehicles using The Ridgeway National Trail from winter 2004, a move fully supported by The Ramblers' Association.

Speaking at the Annual General Meeting of The Friends of The Ridgeway on Sunday 21st March 2004, Mr. Michael announced steps to introduce Seasonal Traffic Regulation Orders on The Ridgeway from October 2004, banning motor vehicles from using vulnerable sections of the path for six months every winter."

Democracy at work - I think not!

Greg

It only seems sensible then that ramblers are banned at other times - wouldn't want them to get mixed up with motor vehicles, would we?

Seems reasonable to me. The time it gets most cut up is during the wet winter months. Any driver/rider with a little bit of sense would give it a miss at these worst times.
But as plenty of muppets dont, the next best thing is a TRO, which is all this amounts to, its just now an ongoing one, so a new one doesnt have to be submitted each year.
Yes its punishing all for a few reprobates that spoil it for everyone, but thats life.

Thin edge of the wedge

What starts as "a seasonal ban" may well end up as a permanent ban in the not too distant future.

About time to. Why oh Why do people want to take a MOTOx bike or Enduro bike or trail bike or whatever along the bloody Ridgeway. You can get a pram across it so why the hell wind up the bobblies...stick to the proper terrain in the more remote areas and lots of this shit would have passed us by. Its the Lane the press will cover the most when all the bad press re hooligans etc is put into the public eye.
Before anyone starts having a go I used to run off road guided weekends etc in Wales so am not a bobly or a nimby.

Too much time has been wasted in the past tying to protect motorised use of such areas as the Ridgeway and while all the funds and attentions of those concerned have been concentrated on this moto way, lots of other and far more rewarding lanes have been lost. How can you compare the Ridgeway to the Monks Trod?.

Abelrider said:

The time it gets most cut up is during the wet winter months.

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You're right, of course. However, I rode it a few years back during March and the ONLY damage I saw was from heavy farm vehicles. They're not banning them so in fact this could work in our favour by showing the tossers that make these decisions that they are targeting the wrong people.

GET OLD FARMER GILES ORF 'IS LAAAND.

ANDY MELTON said:

About time to. Why oh Why do people want to take a MOTOx bike or Enduro bike or trail bike or whatever along the bloody Ridgeway. You can get a pram across it so why the hell wind up the bobblies...stick to the proper terrain in the more remote areas and lots of this shit would have passed us by. Its the Lane the press will cover the most when all the bad press re hooligans etc is put into the public eye.
Before anyone starts having a go I used to run off road guided weekends etc in Wales so am not a bobly or a nimby.

Too much time has been wasted in the past tying to protect motorised use of such areas as the Ridgeway and while all the funds and attentions of those concerned have been concentrated on this moto way, lots of other and far more rewarding lanes have been lost. How can you compare the Ridgeway to the Monks Trod?.

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Andy

I think that you are missing the point here. I would agree that the Ridgeway is indeed a very boring "trail", BUT the main point is it has vehicular rights and someone wants to take them away.

I have ridden the Ridgeway many times, but only to gain access to some other fantastic trails.

Yes it is flat, yes it is boring, BUT its a better than riding around on tarmac roads?

Plus come the winter when all that chalk is slippy, it takes on a new dimension.

No matter where the trails are, if they have vehicular rights then we must fight and protect them.

BTBR

bigtrailbikerider said:

No matter where the trails are, if they have vehicular rights then we must fight and protect them.

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...and if it's because the road is getting rutted, why isn't the Local Authority repairing it?

We'd all get pretty pissed if they closed the road outside our roads each year so that the surface didn't get worn!

Greg