Ruddy hell! Bit of a closed, blinkered shop that one...
"Limer Rake 04-02-2013, Hollinsclough Staffordshire. Local Farmers, Horserider cannot negotiate this lane because it is so badly rutted by offroading and walkers are having trouble traversing it, danger of broken or sprained ankle. Also nowhere to escape to if confronted by trailbikes or vehicles."
"imer Rake, Hollinsclough, Staffordshire. This old Packhorse Route - centuries old - has been very badly damaged. This lane is so bad the Offoaders cannot manage it. It is so badly rutted and the surface of the lane is so broken that they have to resort to "winching" to get over the worst bits by using a winch which is fixed to a tree or a telegraph pole to pull the vehicles over the obstacles that they are responsible for in the first instance."
Erm I don't think that the massive steps have been caused by vehicles....
"The key aim of the Peak District Green Lanes Alliance is to preserve the character and the environmental conditions in the Peak District not merely pitting one user group's needs against another's. Be advised that the vast majority of people who walk, cycle or ride horses also pay road tax, and they also pay council tax and income tax. Derbyshire tax payers are paying in particular for the huge cost of repairing the damage being done by offroaders who come to the Peak District NP from all over the country and also from abroad. Horses cannot use tracks which are so badly rutted as they can fall into them and cause injury to themselves and their riders. Horse riders are being forced off unsurfaced lanes and onto the tarmac road network. Moreover, a disproportionate share of the costs to repair the damage done by vehicles is being borne by the residents of Derbyshire as the general taxpayers; the road tax paid by each off road vehicle owner using these routes is dwarfed by the damage each user causes. And free speech is a right to be defended, but not the making of slanderous/insulting statements as this can not be tolerated."
"Do not believe the off roaders - con men (and women) all - They would have you believe they that are cuddly and warm, and this they are not. They do not live here - they do not pay the council taxes required to repair the damage they do. You the ordinary resident of Derbyshire and the surrounding counties of the National Park do. They as a general rule do not stay in the Peak District National Park for a week or more as holiday makers do, they come for a day and spend very little here - which of course does not help the rural economy much at all. And of allegedly 70,000 + members they managed to get just 100 represented here on the 4th of August 2013 - hardly a resounding success!"
I take offence at that!
"A wonderful success story, the Peak District National Park Authority have agreed unanimously to place full TRO's (Traffic Regulation Orders) banning trail bikes, MPVs (4x4's), and Quad bikes on the following routes The Roych and Chapel Gate one more at least to follow this will be Long Causeway. We will not rest on our laurels but press for more ASAP. Success breeds success, the process will be continued."
I like the reply:-
"This is not sucess. Success will be when all users make use of these shared resources responsibly. What does more damage - a trail bike or a horse? Which users drop more litter - those with a vehicle to keep it in or those who have to carry it? What about the delay in the emergency services getting to you if a byway is blocked to vehicles (I presume that PDNPA can post a risk assessment for this). Rather than blaming other user groups, let's all pull together and give the authorities evidence of misuse and do whatever else we can to stop it. Could PDNPA also let us know when they arrange user groups to help with maintenance - I've done some great days in Essex which are a good opportunity to talk to other users and put something back."
