Rules to protect tracks in park from damage

A strategy on access for 4x4 vehicles and trail bikes is to be drawn up to tackle the problem of vehicles badly eroding unsurfaced routes.

The problem has become so severe that, for the first time, the Peak District National Park Authority introduced an order earlier this summer banning such vehicles from using Chapel Gate, a track near Edale which had become badly damaged, creating problems for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

To comment on the new strategy, which will be considered by the authority in December, a focus group made up of various organisations – such as the police and countryside groups – will be established.

At a recent meeting, members of the Peak District National Park Authority’s audit, resources and performance committee backed the concerns of residents and interest groups about the impact being caused by 4x4s and trail bikes.

This comes after campaigners staged a protest at Stanage Pole earlier this month calling for a crackdown on off-roading.

Christopher Pennell, chairman of the Audit, Performance and Resources Committee, said: “It is good that people are so passionate about the national park’s beautiful landscape and are concerned about issues like this. This meeting was an opportunity to reflect on the real progress that has been made to manage 4x4 and trailbike use on unsurfaced routes in the national park.

“But it was also a time to hear and respond to the concerns expressed by people on both sides of the argument who want the momentum increasing, which is why we are recommending the strategy is updated and we look at finding ways of committing more money to this area of work at a time when the authority is facing budget cuts.

“No single group or authority can resolve this issue on their own. That is why we will continue to work in partnership with the police, local authorities, the Local Access Forum, 4x4 and trailbike user groups and a variety of recreation user groups, including horse riders, walkers and cyclists on these complicated issues.”

Although 4x4 use is often called off-roading, many unsurfaced countryside tracks in the national park are officially byways open to all traffic – and therefore legally classified as roads.

A review of the existing strategy to manage motor vehicle use on unsurfaced routes found the authority had assessed 180 routes and identified 24 as priority routes where action was needed.

Logging equipment has also been installed to monitor the use of roads.

The Stanage Pole protest was led by the Friends of the Peak District’s Take Back the Tracks campaign and attracted more than 100 families, hikers and horse riders.

The protesters walked from Redmires and Dennis Knoll along Long Causeway and beneath Stanage Edge – but horse riders who had also arrived to show their support had to turn back as Long Causeway had been so badly damaged by motorbikes and 4x4 vehicles.

Anne Robinson, chairman of the Campaign for National Parks, said: “Just managing the damage caused by off-roading is not good enough – we don’t want the damage in the first place.

“We want a proactive approach, not a reactive one.”

Campaigners hope that more routes will be closed in the same way as Chapel Gate, a 3km (1.8 miles) ancient packhorse route between Chapel-en-le-Frith and Edale.

The track, which had become marred by deep ruts, mud, water and exposed rocks, is closed to 4x4 vehicles, trail bikes and quad bikes for 18 months.