I’m a keen fell and hill walker (entire South Downs Way, etc) however my experience of this route is that the volume of traffic--pedestrian and otherwise--is so low that it doesn’t need to be moderated.
I have never seen a bicycle, and other than an occasional motorcycle I have only ever seen one non-farm vehicle. This was a car parked close to the Bopeep Bostel road which had been used by model airplane enthusiasts to transport their kit.
As far as damage to the byway is concerned, the main surface disturbance is caused by horses. I’ve attached a photo of the non-improved Comp Lane section which shows deep, but wide, ruts at each side of the road caused by 4-wheel farm vehicles, with a churned-up glutenous mass in the middle caused by horses. Walkers tend to keep to the wide ruts, and in this respect 4-wheel vehicles actually improve the experience for walker by proving firm and level ruts.
As the proposed TRO is not intended to restrict horse access and would not be able to exclude farm and agricultural vehicles, it seems clear that it is intended to target trail riding and green laning. These rights are being steadily eroded on the pretext that it will enable other people to enjoy their pastime. But why is their enjoyment more important than those who want to maintain the road as a historical entity?
East Sussex has very few byways and many of those shown on the ESCC map are in fact blocked, ploughed out or unusable. The Old Coach Road is a fascinating resource and I would strongly opposed any alteration to its historical status. I am very happy that ESCC has spent £50,000 renovating the road, however would question the wisdom of doing so and then closing it to traffic. As a ratepayer I would object to paying £12,500 per mile for bridleway renovation!!
I call for a public enquiry over the proposed TRO.
