Anger after rogue 4x4 drivers damage medieval park paths

Illegal off-roading has been a long-term problem blighting national parks throughout the country, but evidence has emerged that drivers are willing to take increasing risks in the pursuit of a heightened adrenalin rush by targeting more isolated areas.

And senior officers from the North York Moors National Park Authority have told the Yorkshire Post that illegal off-roading is causing irretrievable damage to centuries-old rights of way.

The national park authority’s head of recreation and access, Karl Gerhardsen, said: “These drivers are ignoring clear signs and causing huge problems, which may well lead us to have to seal off more routes.

“We are seeing them attempting to drive on routes which are clearly not suitable.

“This may be because they are unfamiliar with the area, and we have had people coming from across the country to try off-roading in the national park.

“It is costing us a significant amount of money to carry out repairs, but you simply cannot put a price on the history and heritage which is real danger of being lost completely.”

The latest case of illegal off-roading has sparked an investigation by North Yorkshire Police after a Mitsubishi 4x4 became stuck on a public bridleway in East Arncliffe Wood, near Glaisdale.

The vehicle dislodged and cracked the ancient woodland pathway, churned up the ground, and gouged and uprooted trees.

The bridleway, which passes through a bluebell woodland for nearly a mile, is part of the long-distance Coast to Coast and Esk Valley walks, linking the hamlet of Delves with Beggar’s Bridge, next to the River Esk.

The woodland has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the path has an historic stone “trod”, which is known locally as the Monks Trod.

One of the North York Moors National Park Authority’s rangers, Matt Fitzgerald, discovered one of the 4x4 vehicles abandoned on the bridleway the morning after the driver had unsuccessfully tried to free it from the mud.

He said: “I was appalled when I first came across the vehicle – not only was the ground badly churned up where they had attempted to free the vehicle, but numerous historic trod stones were smashed and scraped. Trees had been damaged and even uprooted through attempts to recover the vehicle.

“While there are 4x4 owners who drive legitimate routes responsibly, there is still a minority who have no respect for where they can and cannot drive these vehicles, and their selfish actions can cause a great deal of damage and upset.”

The North York Moors has been plagued in recent months by irresponsible 4x4 drivers who have caused significant damage to rights of way.

In January, a green lane in the national park at Ugglebarnby, near Whitby, was closed after 4x4 vehicles had caused serious damage to the route. At least 15 stones of an old trod were pulled up and thrown into the ditch.

Nearly 220 yards of the route, known locally as Seggimire Lane, suffered serious surface damage as a result of the incident. North Yorkshire County Council has now closed the unsurfaced lane to all motor vehicles temporarily until a long-term solution is found.

Mr Gerhardsen estimated repairs to both Seggimire Lane and the bridleway in East Arncliffe Wood would exceed £10,000.

Members of the off-road driving community have condemned offenders who are continuing to place the countryside at risk.

The honorary chairman of the Land Access and Recreation Association (LARA), John Richardson, has held talks this week 
with national park officials for both the Yorkshire Dales and the Peak District as well as East Riding Council to discuss policing off-road access. LARA is an umbrella organisation for 20 groups and represents more than 500,000 members.

Mr Richardson, who lives in Selby, said: “All the good work by organisations such as LARA can be undone in a moment of madness by the idiots who continue to off-road illegally.

“We are working closely with authorities to ensure that we can continue to have access to the countryside. The vast majority of off-roaders are law-abiding, but there is a small minority who appear intent on ruining it for the rest of us.”

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