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Cambridgeshire TRF have received an Email today from Cambridgeshire County Council informing us that the Police are about to launch an initiative that is designed to crack down on people who are ignoring various temporary and permanent TROs in the South Cambs/Ely area. The Police and Highway Authority are also holding a number of meetings with concerned local people to set out their "action plan" for tackling illegal vehicle use on these routes.
Many of the byways in the area have been closed for repairs over the last eighteen months but repeated illegal use (mainly by 4x4s) has undone much of the work. There have also been a number of serious incidents where gates and barriers have been vandalised or destroyed causing many thousands of pounds worth of damage.
There is a growing anti vehicle sentiment among the local residents and this has already lead to one incident of lane sabotage where nails set in concrete blocks were hidden in ruts, presumerably to puncture 4x4 tyres or injure trail riders.
Obviously no one should be deliberately ignoring official closures (TROs) as it is a criminal offence, however, not all green lane users are familiar with the various signs and notices used to enforce TROs. Temporary TRO notices in particular are easy to miss if you are not looking for them/expecting to see them because they are often nothing more than a laminated A4 sheet pinned to a gate post or telegraph pole. They still have the same legal force though!
Cambridgeshire TRF would ask all Trail Riders using South Cambs or Ely byways to extra vigilant!
STOP AND READ ANY SIGNS OR NOTICES YOU SEE. IF IN DOUBT, DON'T RIDE THE LANE!
This issue has already received extensive coverage in the local media and through local parish councils. Residents and other users are being actively encouraged to report ANY vehicle use that they think is suspicious.
There are still a great many Byways that are open and available for legal use in Cambridgeshire and the authority are not anti motorcyle but TRAIL RIDERS ARE BEING WATCHED IN THIS AREA so CHECK AND RE CHECK THE LEGALITIY OF YOUR ROUTE BEFORE RIDING - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
For more info on the councils strategy follow this link,
http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/environment/countryside/access/Byway+damage.htm
Many of the byways in the area have been closed for repairs over the last eighteen months but repeated illegal use (mainly by 4x4s) has undone much of the work. There have also been a number of serious incidents where gates and barriers have been vandalised or destroyed causing many thousands of pounds worth of damage.
There is a growing anti vehicle sentiment among the local residents and this has already lead to one incident of lane sabotage where nails set in concrete blocks were hidden in ruts, presumerably to puncture 4x4 tyres or injure trail riders.
Obviously no one should be deliberately ignoring official closures (TROs) as it is a criminal offence, however, not all green lane users are familiar with the various signs and notices used to enforce TROs. Temporary TRO notices in particular are easy to miss if you are not looking for them/expecting to see them because they are often nothing more than a laminated A4 sheet pinned to a gate post or telegraph pole. They still have the same legal force though!
Cambridgeshire TRF would ask all Trail Riders using South Cambs or Ely byways to extra vigilant!
STOP AND READ ANY SIGNS OR NOTICES YOU SEE. IF IN DOUBT, DON'T RIDE THE LANE!
This issue has already received extensive coverage in the local media and through local parish councils. Residents and other users are being actively encouraged to report ANY vehicle use that they think is suspicious.
There are still a great many Byways that are open and available for legal use in Cambridgeshire and the authority are not anti motorcyle but TRAIL RIDERS ARE BEING WATCHED IN THIS AREA so CHECK AND RE CHECK THE LEGALITIY OF YOUR ROUTE BEFORE RIDING - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
For more info on the councils strategy follow this link,
http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/environment/countryside/access/Byway+damage.htm
