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26 November 2004
Alexander Nutt
alexn@re-all.co.uk
Firstly may I say great website, very interesting!
Unfortunately I'm posting this because I feel my community could do with your help. I have lived in the (Wiltshire) countryside from birth and I hold it very dear to me. As a child I played on the downs of Fyfield and Marlborough, as a teenager I cycled, walked and rode a horse across the whole of Wiltshire. Now as a responsible adult of limited mobility I responsibly drive a four wheel drive vehicle along the remaining One Percent of our national byway network.
There seems to be an unrelenting tide of negative publicity against the use of four wheel drive vehicles, I can understand the opposition to them as a fashion statement but not when they are being used as intended. Some say that they are damaging, this is not true infact its quite the opposite I regularly carry out repairs and maintenance on the byways I travel.
Some say they are bad for the environment, my suzuki 4wd has
a 1.6ltr engine and lower emissions than most small hatchbacks commonly used
in towns and when driven off road travels at less than 8mph at low revs using
very little fuel. I really don't know where to turn, If these pressure groups
succeed in banning 4x4's from the ONE PERCENT of the national unsurfaced road
network then many many responsible users like myself, as well as the cottage
industries built around off road persuits, will be devastated.
I have evidence of the voluntary work that we do to ensure the
national unsurfaced road network is passable. And I really hope that you can
see past the Media blizzard of ignorance and hype that has been whipped up
by the powerful & influential pressure groups.
John replies: Thanks for your e-mail. I was raised driving
a Landrover and have no grudge against 4WD vehicles used sensibly. But I have
often seen the abuse of off-roaders on green lanes and the like, including
in your part of the country, and genuinely feel that some recreational uses
of such vehicles really do need to be more tightly controlled in the interests
of all.
Alexander replies: I completely understand your point, There is always a rouge element in every cross section of every community that will behave mindlessly and illegally, Those are the ones who should be curtailed. My concern is that the vast majority of users, responsible lovers of the countryside, are about to be penalised for the irresponsible actions of a few idiots. The actions of this tiny minority have been cast into a melting pot of hysteria and now all Off Road Enthusiasts have been tarred with the same brush.
The misuse of the unsurfaced road network is of major concern not only to myself but to the entire 4x4 community, we are currently exploring various methods of assisting local police forces to police, support and obtain anti social & unlawful behaviour convictions.
A lot of the work we do repairing & clearing damaged routes goes completely un-noticed or people put it down to land owners or the council, Its so hard to get our message out there when we are up against organisations like the Ramblers Association who have such an organised membership network and who are so intent to ban access to the paltry one percent of the network that actually remains open to motorised transport.
(Indecently I would say that only about one in ten members of the R.A. are actually “anti4x4”)
There really are so many mistruths cast around at the moment, The Ridgeway is often used as an example, please take a moment to have a read of the attached letter (below my signature) published in the Western Daily Press I think it goes a long way to clearing up what exactly is seen when people point at 4x4 damage.
When you say that you feel “some recreational uses of such vehicles really do need to be more tightly controlled in the interests of all” what would you propose? The complete removal of motorised access to the countryside? What about those less able lovers of responsible escapism, adventure and freedom? or perhaps an additional license similar to ones used for fishing?
I would suggest a campaign to actually report the abuse and damage immediately rather than witness it and then try put the boot into an entire community. This would be a campaign I’m convinced the 4x4 Community would get wholeheartedly behind.
After all It is a breach of our fundamental human rights to victimise an entire community because of the actions of a very small minority.
I do appreciate your comments & suggestions on these matters,
I really am trying to find the best route out of this quagmire. I care about
the countryside and all of its users.
Sir - I'd like to point out some of the actual facts concerning our "national treasure" that is the Ridgeway. In the early 1980s, the Countryside Agency bulldozed it. Why? Because it was feared that people would injure themselves on the uneven surface and seek compensation.
In the mid-80s, a problem arose over illegal use of the Ridgeway; this included the burning of stolen cars, overuse, and illegal parties (remember rave culture? ).
This was an issue because now the Ridgeway was flat and access was afforded to the standard motor car. So they came up with a way that the illegal use of the Ridgeway could be successfully prevented.
A process of "softening" sections, to prevent general vehicular access, was undertaken, involving digging away the surface of the (now bulldozed) Ridgeway and introducing a more porous soil.
I have grown up on the Ridgeway. I have walked it, cycled it, ridden on horseback and motorbike, even driven it in a 4x4, but I have NEVER damaged it.
There is no question that there is some element of society that will always ruin things for others, but this isn't a reason to ban walking in the countryside (because some walkers litter) nor is it any reason to prevent responsible recreational off-road driving.
Should walking groups wish to be away from motorised transport, I would suggest they walk on the other 99 per cent of green lanes or exercise their new found Right to Roam.
May I suggest that those who witness acts of vandalism report them immediately to the police.
As a footnote to those "friends of the Ridgeway", the Ramblers Association, as well as Sir Alun Michaels MP: we have a very rich and varied network of footpaths, bridleways, byways and green lanes that can be enjoyed by all. Let's not reduce this to a neglected network of only footpaths.
Let's have some common sense and keep the countryside open to
all.
JE replies: Thanks, we’ll post that too, if it’s alright with you – particularly since you bring in the human rights issue. (Though as someone who works on human rights, I would put the right to drive a 4x4 fairly low on my scale of priorities!).