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HOME> NEWS>
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
FROM THE YORKSHIRE
DALES NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY NEWSDESK
YORKSHIRE DALES SIGNS
OF THE TIMES
Grassington, May 9, 2006
Signs
will be going up on public footpaths and bridleways all over the
Yorkshire Dales National Park in the next few weeks informing people
that there are no public rights on them for recreational motor vehicles.
The
Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act, which was given Royal
Assent on March 30, gives National Park Authorities (NPAs) new powers to
manage the use of recreational vehicles like 4x4s, motorbikes and
quadbikes in the National Parks.
Sections
of the Act that came into force on Tuesday, May 2, mean that, apart from
some very rare exceptions, it is illegal to drive a recreational motor
vehicle on any bridleway and footpath.
Mark
Allum, the YDNPA’s Access Project Officer, said: “More than 240kms
of footpath and bridleway in the National Park were used by recreational
motor vehicle drivers in the belief that they might have public motor
vehicle rights.
“The
Act removes the possibility of these rights on these routes, some of
which are well-known like Occupation Road above Dentdale, the Craven Way
between Dentdale and Ribblehead and routes over Carlton Moor in
Coverdale.“
To
make users aware of the changes this legislation has brought about, the
Authority will be putting up information signs on the routes and has
uploaded details on to its website at www.yorkshiredales.org.uk.
Jon
Avison, YDNPA Head of Park Management, said: “The YDNPA has always
believed that the use of recreational motor vehicles on public rights of
way in the National Park has been inappropriate and this Act gives us
the tools to manage and protect these routes.
“For
that reason alone, we are very pleased that the Bill has become law –
it is a very important step forward for the National Park.”
The
Act also contains provisions that significantly curtail the scope for
adding further public rights of way for motor vehicles – known as
Byways Open to All Traffic (BOATs) – to the definitive map and
statement (the local highway authority’s legal record of public rights
of way) and gives certainty as to where public motor vehicular rights
exist.
Only
complete applications for BOATs received before 20 January, 2005, will
be worked through under the ‘old system’. The YDNPA has five such
cases.
Further
applications to add new BOATs to the definitive map are likely to result
in restricted byways, which do not have rights for recreational motor
vehicles.
Another
main feature of the Act is that, from October this year, NPAs as well as
local highway authorities will be able to impose Traffic Regulation
Orders (TROs) to prohibit recreational motor vehicles from using green
lanes – unsurfaced rights of way and county roads.
Over
the last two years, the YDNPA has been working with North Yorkshire
County Council in applying experimental TROs to four routes in the Dales
to stop recreational vehicular traffic and so protect the special
qualities of the National Park.
Mr
Avison said: “The feedback we have received has clearly shown that the
TROs are necessary and effective in managing this use. The authority now
looks forward to working with county councils and users to protect the
unique environment of the National Park.”
After
the Royal Assent was given, the then Minister for Rural Affairs,
Landscape and Biodiversity, Jim Knight – now Minister of State for
Schools following the Prime Minister’s Cabinet reshuffle on Friday
(May 5) – said: "Through this Act, we have delivered our
commitment to curtail the inappropriate use of byways by motor vehicles
by putting an end to claims for motor vehicle access on the basis of
historical use by horse-drawn vehicles. Some of the worst damage is
happening in our national parks, which is why we have given National
Park Authorities the power to make traffic regulation orders.”
//ends//
For
more information please call the Yorkshire Dales National Park
Authority's Media Office on 01756 751616. Alternatively, please email media@yorkshiredales.org.uk
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