Green Laning

[admin]

Green Laning Warning

Attachments:

[steph]

The club has been helping the council and owner to help over come this illegal use of vehicles off the byway over the years.

Anyone seen to be illegal driving with be filmed and reported, this goes for our club members and those of any other local clubs.

There is a code of conduct when greenlaning, these idots are giving the good drivers a bad name.

[steph]

we, police, owners and council are watching!

[James Tennant]

As someone who doesn't share your passion for offroading/greenlaning but has watched with horror as various local (around Bucklebury) areas have been destroyed in the last six months I wanted to make a few points.

Firstly, I realise it is probably only a minority of 4x4 users that are responsible for the extensive damage caused and that 4x4s also have a legal right to drive on unrestricted by-ways.

In the last nine months I have witnessed twelve instances of 4x4s driving in and out of the river pang near Bucklebury. The result has been the complete wrecking of a spot where many people go to enjoy the river and valley. There are now seven deep tracks cut into the river bank - in some cases widening the river by 5-6 feet. Which in turn has resulted in extensive flooding of fields and recently a 40 year old poplar tree falling into the river.

Of the five times I have confronted those responsible twice I have been physically threatened and verbally abused. The other times the drivers just feigned ignorance and claimed that they thought the river bank/field was a by-way.

The area I refer to is now permanently wrecked - this is somewhere I have known and loved for as long as I can remember and it's very sad and upsetting. It will take a considerable amount of money and effort to rebuild the river banks. Not to mention the damage to the farmer's fields and crops.

I have also seen a bridge over a by-way that was recently rebuilt by the council being wrecked by 4x4s and 4x4s driving in recently sown fields.

I am saying all this not to have a go at you all but to demonstrate the reasons for the animosity caused by such grotesquely anti-social, thoughtless and irresponsible behaviour. And hope that you can continue spreading the word within the 4x4 community that greenlaning/offroading etc needs to be done responsibly.

Thanks


James

[admin]

Hi James,
Before we get into a rant about off roading on public or private land, our members have been made aware of the laws governing this behaviour. furthermore we are a club who have our own land and actively encourage its use. If you see anyone who is trespassing, driving on or destroying land or property then please contact the police.

[steph]

Hi James

Thank you for your input. I would really like to talk to you on the phone, so we can have a chat. please would you ring me on 07990667503.
we as a club can only be responsible for drivers on our land, once left we can do nothing, but tell them and spread the word. we are trying to do our part to help stop this behavior.
Thank you.
steph

[steph]

We can not stress enough over the above article to all our members about this issue.
we know that once off of our off road site we can not control this, but i do not think this is all down to our club members, as there are other clubs around too, plus illegle persons driving around different places shall we say.
There will be another attachment added to this from the newspaper for you to read.
we are totally with the landowner, whom we know and the council and police on this issue, people will get caught and fined and vehicles taken away.

[admin]

This item taken from local press.
21/03/2014

[steph]

Again Buckleberry is in the news, attachment will follow which was in the newspaper. As said before in the other reports, this is not giving Green Lane drivers a good name, as there are rules to abide to when out and about, we as a club have tried so many times with the land owner and police and council to help retain this, but as we have said before we can only let people know of the off road site if they wish to come and play in a safe way. But its the old story they don't want to pay for it! There are four clubs in the area of Berkshire, us, Hants & Berks, All lanes and tv4x4, the latter one we did advise on there web site regarding letting there members know, out of politeness but it was soon taken off the website! so two clubs out of four an't bad! There has been reports of clubs from far a field doing it all, but its more closer to home, it's not all 4x4's, bikers too,which are more harder to stop, in the end all lanes will be closed over there and other places near with no vehicle access only walkers and horses.
All we can say and advise is please please let the lanes dry up as they are getting so bad with this weather over the common, join your local green lane assocation to get up to date info or call the council,s rep for byways. its alright writing all this, but not many will bother with it, that's how it goes, so all we can say is look out you will get caught.
But for those who are conserned Thank you.

[steph]

Vehicles on Bucklebury Common



Vehicles may NOT be driven by the public:

On the common.
On public Footpaths, Bridleways or Restricted Byways.
On Byways which have a TRO notice banning vehicles over the winter.
Where causing alarm, distress, or annoyance/where driven without due care & attention on a road or public place.



If you see any of this happening, report the incident to the Police:

Tel. 999 - life is in danger or the crime is happening now.

Tel. 101 – non-emergency crime/incident.

Online – www.thamesvalley.police.uk (or the Bucklebury/Downlands neighbourhood team).

Use the What3Words app to identify the location.


This is on Buckleberry parish website and over the common too. The byways have TPO'S on them so closed over winter months.