Legally ride a closed lane

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Marionette
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Legally ride a closed lane

Post by Marionette »

There has been various conversations of late about what constitutes a legal TRO and when it may be possible to ride such a lane without facing prosectution.

I don't want to add to the grey areas of this topic, but the TRF have now found a way to legally ride a closed lane, bridleway or even possibly a footpath.

How it's done:
1 Join the TRF
2 Get elected as a director
3 Organise a trail ride with a police escort
4 Go where you want and ignore the law

This simple guideline has been written up by the TRF in their new Trail magazine, though it is being marketed as a publicity / training exercise for the police.
South Yorkshire police do have a way of creating problems for themselves, but I'm sure they will tell us how this has helped them to catch illegal riders on unregistered, untaxed bikes with no insurance.
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Re: Legally ride a closed lane

Post by DavidS »

:)
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HedgeHopper
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Re: Legally ride a closed lane

Post by HedgeHopper »

Classic :lol:
garyboy
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Re: Legally ride a closed lane

Post by garyboy »

I often wonder if a lane is legal or not :? (obviously, all the time)
but what I mean is .. there are a lot of lanes that are said to be tro'd
but WHO has tro'd them, and what is their legal base for doing so?
just because the council or parks authority SAY the lane is closed or restricted,
or even if they draw it on a nice clean map, as such,
where did the authority come from and is it correct?

for instance, the BBNPA say the sarn and gap are restricted byways and closed to all vehicular traffic, but there are exceptions and local users, as well as the wardens themselves trundling up and down them in hot pursuits ..
wher has the authority come from ... yes, the parks have powers and authorities, but this sort of thing is under the power of the secretary of state .. and I bet he or she (whoever it is?) doesn't know what the fock is going on there.

the police don't really know, they just follow up complaints, and they are by the bbnpa ..

so .. I often wonder what the reality really is ..
what authority have these individuals and organisations got, for banning a legal road bike, riding sensibly, on what was always considered to be legal routes!!
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Re: Legally ride a closed lane

Post by special one »

I looked at the sign at the start of the stretch of the sarn they leads to the steps and decided to ignore it:)
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Re: Legally ride a closed lane

Post by garyboy »

:D
Tonibe63
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Re: Legally ride a closed lane

Post by Tonibe63 »

My understanding is:-
garyboy wrote: Tue Oct 24, 2017 6:35 pm I often wonder if a lane is legal or not :? (obviously, all the time)
but what I mean is .. there are a lot of lanes that are said to be tro'd
but WHO has tro'd them, and what is their legal base for doing so?
just because the council or parks authority SAY the lane is closed or restricted,
or even if they draw it on a nice clean map, as such,
where did the authority come from and is it correct?
A temporary TRO is issued by the Council who are responsible for the repair and upkeep of the lanes, a sign should be in place to make this a legal closure. A permanent TRO is issued by Secretary of State following a DMMO process during which you can object.

for instance, the BBNPA say the sarn and gap are restricted byways and closed to all vehicular traffic, but there are exceptions and local users, as well as the wardens themselves trundling up and down them in hot pursuits ..
wher has the authority come from ... yes, the parks have powers and authorities, but this sort of thing is under the power of the secretary of state .. and I bet he or she (whoever it is?) doesn't know what the fock is going on there.
It is up to the user to prove vehicular access rights. Landowners are allowed to use a TRO'd lanes for access and Wardens also have the right to use.

the police don't really know, they just follow up complaints, and they are by the bbnpa ..

so .. I often wonder what the reality really is ..
what authority have these individuals and organisations got, for banning a legal road bike, riding sensibly, on what was always considered to be legal routes!!
The Councils and Park Authority has the right to ban vehicular access once the DMMO process has been completed. Considered and actual legality is up to the user to prove.
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Re: Legally ride a closed lane

Post by HedgeHopper »

Landowners are allowed to use a TRO'd lanes for access
Fairy Nuff, as a tax paying member of the public I have a right to ride on public land to gain access to the land I own together with the rest of the public, sorted.

Joking aside, trying to even find out what is legal is so complicated you'll be old and pissed off before you find out and the TRF are about as usefull as a chocolate teapot in that regard

My attitude these days is sod it and just use common sense
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Re: Legally ride a closed lane

Post by Tonibe63 »

I've not been involved with Rights of Way for about 8 years or ridden the lanes so don't know the current situation but you could ask the Council to see the Definitive Map and List of Streets. The used to be an online site for legal lanes ....... 'Wayfinder' I think. http://www.way-finder.org.uk
Wales has always been more difficult to find information for.
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Re: Legally ride a closed lane

Post by garyboy »

quote .. //Considered and actual legality is up to the user to prove. //
exactly ... guilty until you can prove your innocence .. together with all the other erosions of civil liberties. (funding cuts for legal aid, camera proofs of innocence, PC, .. .. )
its deliberate that it is difficult to access the info .. more so in wales than England .. more agro in wales too.
probably best to just stay away from the parks
which is what their harassment is all about.

I can see now why the TRF do not like dmmo's .. it appears to be final and legally binding?
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