Hi,

This 'green laning' is something which has been annoying many people. It has been placed as one of the 3 priorities for the Safer Neighbourhood Team,over this coming quarter. If you do know of particular locations where it is going on, let me know and I'll pass it on to the PCSO who is looking at it.

A great deal of damage is being done bythese bikes, and it is an increasing problem, though you wouldn't know it unless you were out and about to see  it. I saw a group of 4 trial bike riders coming off a track opposite Chapel golf course entrance the other day. I couldn't quite work out where they had been , but i doubt that track was intended for them. 

I'm sure they're not all bad though !

Cheers

Jon.

Thanks CllrJonG and H, it's comforting to know there are other people who are aware of the problem.

CllrJonG, as a matter of interest, what are the other 2 priorities of the Safer Neighbourhood Team and, who are the Safer Neighbourhood Team?

 

Hi Horwich Ender,

The next Safer Neighbourhood Team Meeting, is on 14th April at the Mechanics - 7pm., but there are surgeries on the 25th Feb and the 25th March at Tesco,Whaley bridge 6pm - 9pm where you can just talk to our local PCSO Tracy Jones about any problems or issues which you think police intervention could solve. Tracy is very helpful so please have a chat to her if you have a problem. Basically the Safer Neighbourhood Team meeting is set up to allow local people to express local problems which they think the police should deal with. It is a fantastic way of getting to meet with the police officers and PCSO's who deal with  Whaley Bridge, and to get your ideas across about what they should concentrate on.

For details about the Safer Neighbourhood team please go  and look at the following link:

 http://www.derbyshire.police.uk/local/124.html

Anyone can turn up. The meetings are widely advertised by the police over various mediums, and they want residents to turn up.

The priorities are(in no order):

1) monitoring of speeding within Whaley Bridge - prosecutions as neccessary.

2)monitoring and action on possible drug related activities within Whaley Bridge.

3)Off road motorcycling.

To show you what sort of things are discussed and to encourage you to take part I attach the latest minutes. You will see that this is an opportunity to raise many local issues which can be dealt with by the police.

Cheers

Jon.

 

Edited by user 06 February 2010 03:50:07(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Thanks CllrJonG for your prompt response. I must admit this does seem to be an excellent initiative.

It's also welcoming to see that two of the “Whaley Eleven” attended the Safer Neighbourhood Team meeting. I do feel it is a perception rather than a fact that other local councillors don't pull their weight. It's only a pity they don't contribute to this forum where they could share their views and achievements.

 

Peak Park are very aware of the problem and have put a Traffic Regulation Order on Chapel Gate http://www.peakdistrict....isplay-page.htm?id=25082

Whilst I really abhor grown men using 4x4s on so called "green lanes2" (which are rarely green after they have done) I have rather ambivalent feelings about youths on trail bikes. They are noisy and annoying but they are doing something, fostering an interest rather than just lounging around and grumbling that there is nothing to do in Whaley.

Edited by user 21 July 2011 22:09:12(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

To be pedantic: it is only a criminal offence to drive mechanically propelled vehicles on Public Rights of Way which are not Byways Open to All Traffic. Driving on private land, without the owners consent, is a civil trespass.

It is impossible to drive a motor vehicle on an unsurfaced track without causing massive damage. Take a walk along the Chapel Gate path if you doubt that statement.. BOATs were incorporating in law to allow horse drawn carts and herds of animals to move about in the interest of commerce. Not to allow middle aged men in 250 horsepower, 2 tonne vehicle to play out their frontier fantasies.

Sorry not have replied sooner. I am not entirely sure but I suspect that the road has been classified as a "Restricted Byway". Restricted Byways were introduced in the 2000 Countryside and Wildlife Act (the so called "Right to Roam" legislation) and were intended to be a way of resolving the ambiguous position of "Roads Used as Public Paths". Restricted Byway designates a way which can be used by pedestrians, horse-riders, cyclists, horse-drawn carts and carriages and driven livestock but not mechanically propelled vehicles.



As a Restriced Byway it retains all the access rights which it had hundreds of years ago.




Many local authorities have taken the decision to reclassify all Roads used as Public Paths as Restricted Byways in order to restrict off road motoring. You might say that this restriction is a direct consequence of irresponsible "Green Laneing"




Being a PRoW does not imply that mechanically propelled vehicles are permitted to use it.




A common enough problem even today.

Edited by user 22 July 2011 20:11:32(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Mr Rockbanker, Just to set the record straight, the reasons why some Bikers like their exhausts loud in you last comment. As you know I used to have a two wheeled device myself (legal noise levels). Whilst I do not necessarily agree, many bikers have loud pipes so they can be heard in traffic, thus reducing the number of accidents on the roads. Well at least thats the theory, Though there have been a few campaigns to try and promote a change in the law, You may have seen stickers in cars or on bikes claiming "loud pipes save lives!" I do not believe there has been any difinitive study into this as such, so its down to the individuals to risk being challenged by the ploice.....and they do! Ok some riders just like noisy bikes and then feel persecuted when they get pulled with a noisy exhaust on the Cat n Fiddle doing stupid speeds ... but thats another topic!

Just to bring this posting back on to topic.... What therefore is the benefit of loud pipes on roads such as long lane? Most walkers would hear bikes arriving with normal exhaust noise levels. Of course off road only bikes do not necessarily have to comply with road laws, I would expect however, that as Long Lane is probably a by-way they should therefore have to comply.

Yes Tyke, like you I would like to see some independent research that showed that louder exhaust sounds increase road safety before believing their arguments. I'll have to have a little chat with some of my collegues in the states who research and design alarm sounds for emergency vehicles to see if they know anything about it.

I am a fan of tolerance. If actually look, there are relatively few rough or unprepared roads in the area that are open to traffic. The Elnor Lane Combs road is passable on bikes, but it's hard to get a 4x4 on it (I have tried and spent the next 3h taking broom scratches off the vehicle). A nicer road for 4x4s that offers nice views and a stroll is the one from the White Hall Centre to Buxton. There is another short road that cuts off the corner in the clough on Long Hill, but the gates are a pain in the neck. Then there is a short road from Kettleshulme above Walker Brow to Taxal, but that is really just a little diversion if the 4x4 owner fancies a bit of a change to irritate the wife who is trying to transport a trifle on her knees in the passenger seat.

So there it is. Not really a huge disruption, and there are plenty of quiet paths all over the place. The Peak is a great place for recreation in nearly all its forms.

Nige.