RIGHTS OF WAY
Please help us protect your rights to trail ride. Without rights of way
trail riding cannot take place and this particular means of enjoying the
countryside will be forever lost.
Posted 11 February 2026
Greetings folks,
Time has passed since our previous update, not that you have been forgotten but there has been nothing of importance to report back to you. This happens basically because we have such difficulty in obtain answers to our enquiries presented to the relevant Authorities.
In a sense no news is good news in that at least we are not being overwhelmed with potential route downgrading problems here in the Peak District. However, nationally this is not the case. One big positive was that GLASS won a case down in Hampshire where the attempts to close a lane where overturned at the High Court.
Locally the proposed closure of the routes at Hollinsclough has been withdrawn as Staffordshire CC eventually capitulated. Regrettably despite our efforts we have been unable to open meaningful dialogue with SCC.
The route at Offerton Hall, near Hope, was to be recorded as BOAT status but because of one objection the paperwork has had to be sent to PINS for re-evaluation, who knows how long that might take to sort out !!!!
Bamford Clough still remains closed by TRO and again a lack of meaningful dialogue from the highway authority prevents our motorised use, although it does not seem to prevent local dog walkers and ramblers from using it, seemingly with impunity despite the fact that ALL public users are banned. In April we will be again attempting to prevent the imposition of yet another meaningless TRO.
Your ROW Team is a bit like the proverbial swan, seemingly not doing much on the surface but with lots going on out of sight.
Talking of sight, a couple of videos on Facebook have opened up a storm of protest against vehicles crossing a chalk stream in Hampshire. May I ask that if anybody posts videos or photos that they think of the wider implications not to bring our sport and hobby into question. Adverse public perception is our biggest enemy.
Take care and enjoy your motoring in what ever form it takes.
TTFN.
Posted 13 July 2025
Saturday 12th July 2025 was the Open Day when Manchester 17 MCC, as Member of PDVUG, along with GLASS and South Yorkshire Police were on hand to help guide folks to finding legal green lane routes. A goodly number of riders and drivers called in to ask about map reading skills, how to access the GLASS Trailwise2 mapping system plus some advice about staying on the right side of the law. We also had our newly acquired defibrillator on site to help answer some first aid questions too. To Manchester 17’s credit we have built up a number of qualified first response first eider's who attend our trials and enduro events.
Posted 25 June 2025
Saturday 12 July 2025 1100-1500 PDVUG Open Day
Yondermann Cafe,(great grub) Wardlow Mires on the A623 at SK17 8RW
All the stuff about Rights of Way including free advice, demos of GLASS TrailWise2 and questions answered by real experts on the subject
Posted 28 January 2025
As some of you may be aware the TRO on Limer and Swan Rakes has finally been lifted. The following is a statement recently released by GLASS.
"High Court confirms Hollinsclough Rakes TRO is unlawful
Swan Rake and Limer Rake are a pair of historic unsealed county roads (UCRs) in Hollinsclough, Staffordshire, which have been in poor condition for many years. Due to the steep and challenging nature of the Rakes, they were used by a number of traditional motor trials during most of the last century.
Despite Staffordshire County Council’s reluctance to recognise motoring rights, these lanes had been used ‘as of right’ by motor vehicles and other highway users, but due to an ongoing lack of maintenance by the Council they had become virtually impassable for all users, and eventually had to be closed by the Council for major repairs. Last year, the Council completed repairs to both routes to a standard that they claimed was only suitable for bridleway use. In August, the Council installed gates and made a permanent Traffic Regulation Order which prohibited motorised vehicles from using the two routes.
Like many others, the Green Lane Association had objected to the TRO during the Council’s statutory consultation, but the objections and our suggestions for alternative measures were ignored.
Accordingly, we challenged the TRO in the High Court, claiming it was unlawful in a number of respects. After a delay during which both the Association and the council incurred substantial legal costs, the Council decided not to contest our challenge in court, and the Court has just issued an agreed Consent Order confirming that the TRO should be quashed, and that Staffordshire County Council must pay the Association’s costs of the proceedings.
The Association regrets the need to take legal action like this, and believes it could easily have been avoided if the Council had discussed its concerns with motorised user groups before applying a complete ban.
Driving the Rakes is no longer challenging as the new surface has been designed to accommodate mostly walkers, horse riders and pedal bikes. Association members and other motorised users are asked to avoid using these sensitive routes in rainy periods to avoid undue surface wear and tear, and to drive carefully at all times in accordance with the Association’s Code of Conduct (https://bit.ly/GLASSCode).”
TTFN
Hugh.
Posted 4 June 2024
Greetings folks, quick update that Joes Lane, Hollinsclough, is to remain closed, possibly until September, whilst SCC resurface with a material yet to be recommended by the BHS to prevent horses slipping on the steep exit section. I could make a suggestion but that would not be politically correct in these modern times.
No update information has yet been released about the 'Consultation' but I do keep asking.
TTFN
Hugh
Posted 22 March 2024
Unfortunately there has been no communication so far from Staffordshire County Council about the Hollinsclough Rakes nor the re-closure of Joes Lane.
However, here is a link to a Government consultation proposing that Nationally motorcycles be allowed to use bus lanes. Please would you complete the questionnaire as I think that it would be to the benefit of motorcyclists.
https://www.gov.uk/.../consul.../motorcycles-in-bus-lanes…
TTFN
Hugh.
A few
words from Mr P:
The Nations National Parks including The Peak District Nation Park must not be allowed to become the stage for a simple minded plan “for quiet enjoyment” at the cost of the loss of rights, culture, heritage and all those things that added together made them what they are. They are wonderful places not only because of what they look like but because of what can be done there. There is space for everyone to enjoy the parks in their own way and we must not let self-interested groups impose their prejudice on the rest of us. Our national parks are for everyone not just those who want to put a pair of hiking boots and moan at everyone else they come across or those who want to sit and fall asleep looking at a landscape that no longer reflects what made it the way it is.
We, YOU YES – YOU, me and everyone who wants to continue to enjoy our National Parks and, the Peak District in particular, in our way have to stand up NOW and stop the prejudiced Peak District National Park Authority acting to wipe out the rights our fathers enjoyed and with them the heritage and culture that made the parks what they are. This small band of short sighted authoritarians are busy spending huge amounts of our money responding to the completely unjustified demands of well-funded selfish pressure groups to extinguish our rights simply because we are motorcyclists. That is prejudice. And just like everywhere everyone has the responsibility to stand up against it. If we were a religious or racial group we would have been protected against these people – as it is we have to stand up for ourselves. Let’s do just that NOW.
Abbreviations, Initialisms and Acronyms:
BOAT = Byway open to all traffic
TRF = Trail Riders Fellowship (this is the group that we most strongly recommend you join and to support)
LARA = Land Access & Recreation Association (these are the real ROW experts, there is no one better even in government)
LoS = List of streets taken off the definitive map
UEF = User evidence form
PDNPA= Peak District National Park Authority
DCC = Derbyshire County Council
DEFRA = Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
TRO = Traffic restriction order
PDVUG = Peak & Derbyshire Vehicle User Group
GLASS = Green Lane Association
GLEAM = Green Lanes Environmental Action Movement
ETRO = Experimental Traffic restriction order
MPV = Mechanically propelled vehicle ....... (not an ebike)