Another proposed TRO - School Lane, Great Hucklow

Post shamelessly stolen from AdvRider:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=641550

Another proposed lane closure - details of how to object here:

http://www.trf.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=3569

I like this little lane - always a bit trickier than you think its going to be.

Ok - I get there is a school at the bottom of the lane but you can't miss it and I don't really see that as a reason for trying to close it.

Paul

The main reason for them trying to close this one is the idiots who race past the school during school hours! There are several groups, and a couple of companies, who are out round here on a regular basis. They think as soon as they hit a lane it is a race track, and they will be the cause of most, if not all, of the local lanes getting closed
I love laning on both 2 and 4 wheels, but I can see why many of the locals get fed up with it when there are idiots about abusing the lanes. No matter how sensible and polite the majority of riders/drivers there are the public only remember the bad
The other problem with this lane, and the others nearby, is that it's slap bang in the middle of horsey territory. They only need to have a horse spooked by one idiot and we are all tarred with the same brush.
The local Police have tried the education route with operation Blackbrook but if anything things are getting worse! Not long before they move from education to prohibition if people aren't listening!

Ian is dead right again
The lane is a cracker for sure
Anyone who rides with me goes down it and turns around and returns back up
Or they wouldnt come again with me
The locals have even coaxed the ladies to walk their children up to the school to ease the traffic around the entrance to the infant school
F in nobheads will fooook it up for everyone soon

Me and a few mates did this route on Tuesday, along with Stanage edge and Bamford Clough.( The latter being a right bas***d that always throws me off).
Anyway in the cafe at hope was a local publication calling for the locals to reclaim the trails and get us and the 4x4 groups banned.This of course pissed us off no end, (Dont we spend enough in the local cafe's and garages). Anyways my mate is writing off to fight our corner. When i see him again ill get details and put em on here.
Without wishing to preach to the converted , the thing that annoys me most is that we are all professionals, on road legal insured taxed and tested bikes and not a bunch of scrotes on a nicked Placky 90 razzzing up some public footpath.

Homer1968 said:

Me and a few mates did this route on Tuesday, along with Stanage edge and Bamford Clough.( The latter being a right bas***d that always throws me off).
Anyway in the cafe at hope was a local publication calling for the locals to reclaim the trails and get us and the 4x4 groups banned.This of course pissed us off no end, (Dont we spend enough in the local cafe's and garages). Anyways my mate is writing off to fight our corner. When i see him again ill get details and put em on here.
Without wishing to preach to the converted , the thing that annoys me most is that we are all professionals, on road legal insured taxed and tested bikes and not a bunch of scrotes on a nicked Placky 90 razzzing up some public footpath.

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Interesting comment, however as there is already a voluntary TRO on School lane on school days, and you used the lane on a school day, what makes you think you are not part of the problem? No wonder the locals get pissed off when even so called responsible riders break the rules

MrIFan said:

....... what makes you think you are not part of the problem? No wonder the locals get pissed off when even so called responsible riders break the rules

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A tad harsh I feel Ian.

No rules were broken - it's a perfectly legal road.

And now Homer knows of the voluntary TRO he'll no doubt keep away.

Spout said:

A tad harsh I feel Ian.

No rules were broken - it's a perfectly legal road.

And now Homer knows of the voluntary TRO he'll no doubt keep away.

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A tad harsh maybe but the information regarding riding past the school has been on the Peak District website for 3 years! http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/index/looking-after/vehicles/vehicles-routes.htm
You are of course correct in that no actual rules were broken. However Homer describes himself as a "Professional"? So one would think he would do the relevant research before using the lanes and plan his route acordingly.
Obviously Homer may not have ridden past the school, and done the lane like Mick suggests, in which case please accept my apologies for the rant.
I tend to get on my high horse rather too easily at the moment because I can see the local pressure groups becoming more cohesive and much better supported. They also have a lot of support within the Peak Park authority, who will ultimately be responsible for whether the lanes stay open or not.
The irresponsible/illegal use of the lanes is also on the increase adding more ammunition to the anti's arguments.
The latest campaign to get vehicle access banned on these roads, "reclaim our trails", run by Friends of The Peak District is a serious threat. They recently distributed leaflets to every household in their target area of the Peak District. Despite the literature they are putting out being full of sensationalism, twisted "facts" and downright lies, it appeals to the locals and tourists alike. They have the budget and the people to force their ideas through if not opposed equally vigorously, and if we (trailriders and 4x4 users), as a group, can't prove that we can use the lanes responsibly and with minimal damage.
Unfortunately the majority of riders and 4x4 users I see round here on a daily basis do not respect the lanes nor the other people that use them and that is what will get the lanes closed sooner rather than later!

MRIFAN thanks for the positive feedback However ive got a few points id like to raise ,with your rant aimed at me.
1. Im quite new to the green laning game havin attended the Peak district as a green laner only 4 times since buying the bike in November. Ive done School lane twice( One on a weekend). I wasnt aware that you researched the route you go on , i was under the impression that if it say Byway you're good to go and Restricted Byway was a no no. There is no sign saying restricted byway at the top of school lane only a sign saying something similar to "Watch your speed children playing". I repeat NO RESTRICTED BYWAY SIGN. therefore in the eyes of the law may be we've got a defence.
2. You mention about people going past the school at speed this aint us mate. Ive got 3 kids at school age and id be horrified if someone did this where my kids schooled. Also due to the sensitive nature of my career i cant afford to f**k up as im judged just as harshly in my private life as i am at work. We as are as a group courteous, stopping on the roads and killing the ignition to allow horse riders to pass. Also we say " good morning " to our Rambling friends so it winds me up to f**k when you imply that we are the hooligans.
3. We and i can speak for my mates would never knowingly or through ignorance damage the sport we like so much. Some would say you're passionate about your/our hobby. Personally with the way you went about having a go at me , and you dont know me from adam old cock, i think you're a KNOBBER

Alright troops lets relax a bit and not let this get out of hand. Mr Ifan does feel very strongly about the use of lanes in the Peaks as most of us do.

Homer what you have said is a fair one ( except about Ifan being a knobber,,,,he is more of a twat!!!)

We all now its not the guys on this site causing the bad feeling but mostly tits on bright orange machines from out of the area who don`t give a toss if the lanes are closed or not as they will continue to use and abuse them no matter what the authorities decide to do with the lanes.

Sounds like we all need to get together soon and have a days laning to vent some pent up frustration.

Watch this space for a date.

Not sure about the orange machines comment Gary augie) but a day's laning sounds good.

Only saying what I see on a weekly basis mate at the bottom of my road Clearly its not aimed at the law abiding ones like yourself.

Homer1968 said:

MRIFAN thanks for the positive feedback However ive got a few points id like to raise ,with your rant aimed at me.
1. Im quite new to the green laning game havin attended the Peak district as a green laner only 4 times since buying the bike in November. Ive done School lane twice( One on a weekend). I wasnt aware that you researched the route you go on , i was under the impression that if it say Byway you're good to go and Restricted Byway was a no no. There is no sign saying restricted byway at the top of school lane only a sign saying something similar to "Watch your speed children playing". I repeat NO RESTRICTED BYWAY SIGN. therefore in the eyes of the law may be we've got a defence.
2. You mention about people going past the school at speed this aint us mate. Ive got 3 kids at school age and id be horrified if someone did this where my kids schooled. Also due to the sensitive nature of my career i cant afford to f**k up as im judged just as harshly in my private life as i am at work. We as are as a group courteous, stopping on the roads and killing the ignition to allow horse riders to pass. Also we say " good morning " to our Rambling friends so it winds me up to f**k when you imply that we are the hooligans.
3. We and i can speak for my mates would never knowingly or through ignorance damage the sport we like so much. Some would say you're passionate about your/our hobby. Personally with the way you went about having a go at me , and you dont know me from adam old cock, i think you're a KNOBBER

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I think you need to chill and re-read my posts, I have not directly had a go at you nor accused you of anything just vented my spleen at the idiots I see on a daily basis locally (mainly large groups and at least one of which is a local tour company who use 2 signed Restricted Byways at least once a week ). I merely asked in my first post "what makes you think you are not part of the problem". The Peak Park website has this to say regarding School Lane....

"We are very concerned that a very small group of motorbikers seem to be coinciding their use of this lane with primary school opening. Parents have a voluntary code of conduct that they will not use vehicles on this lane throughout the day due to safety issues, and we would ask all responsible users to do the same if possible. Please therefore consider avoiding the use of this lane during weekdays".

By using the lane on a school day then, rightly or wrongly and intentionally or not, you do become part of the problem. It may be legal to use the route and you may have ridden past the school very sensibly, but by riding past the school when it is open you upset people, the people who are trying to get the lane closed. There are several houses at the bottom of the lane and the teachers in the school and virtually all of them want it closed. At least one person will have logged your passing, legal or not, and will use it as ammunition at the next meeting regarding the status of the lane. This holds for anyone who uses the lane during school opening times. It is not meant as an insult or accusation it is merely a fact, the people we are up against are determined and not always rational.
Chertpit Lane near Great Longstone is a perfect example of what we are up against. After much pressure from locals (and not so locals but so called "friends of the Peak District") to get the lane closed/restricted it was declared a legal Byway. End of story you may think but oh no, the campaign has increased it's efforts dramatically. Locals are logging all, perfectly legal, use on a daily basis and meet virtually every month officially (much more often over a cuppa or a pint in the local) to discuss their best strategy to get their way. They won't give up until they win, no matter how long it takes When they do win then Putwell Hill to Brushfield and Black Harry Lane are their next targets!
This is why a bit of research whilst planning a route is pretty essential now-days. Especially if as you say you are quite new to green laning and are not 100% sure of the legality of the routes you are using
http://www.trailwise.org.uk/ shows most if not all of the rights of way and their status. http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/index/looking-after/vehicles.htm will tell you the latest info on routes that may not have been updated on trailwise yet. Relying on Byway and Restricted Byway signs is not really good enough unless you only ride lanes with a Byway sign. Many legal routes are not signed at all so you could be missing out on some of the best lanes. Many illegal/restricted routes are also unsigned and look exactly the same as legal routes, mainly because they are still being used by many people

As for your final comment, well you don't know me from Adam either me old cock but you have directly had a go at me!

OK end of fall out. With what you said about School lane then take it from me we wont use it again on a school day . as i said id hate to knowingly or through ignorance do anything that harms our legitimate pastime.
We are, when all said and done on the same side and there are all too many who dont respect the Byways or ride like Twa*s that spoil it for us all.