Government response to the Landscapes Review
Published: 16/03/2022
The Landscapes Review (the Review), a report about the future of Britain’s National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and commissioned as part of the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan issued its findings in 2019. Although the Review itself did not mention restricting motorcycles or other vehicles from unsealed unclassified roads known as “green lanes” in the National Parks, in their response to the report, the Government did.
Probably exacerbated by the staycation phenomenon cause by COVID, the Government stated that:
“ Since the review was published, rangers in protected landscapes have observed increased visitor numbers and an increase in anti-social and hostile behaviour. In response, Natural England has revised the Countryside Code, and run a communications campaign to improve people’s understanding of the countryside and promote socially and environmentally responsible behaviours. However, providing visitors with clearer information has not been sufficient to fully address these ongoing issues. “
The Government is now consulting on their response to the Review in which they ask several questions directly addressing the future of recreational motor vehicle access to green lanes. These include asking public views on whether the National Park Authorities, the Broads Authority and local highway authorities should have additional powers to restrict recreational motor vehicle use on unsealed routes. Further up the scale than that, they also ask whether the Government should, “legislate to restrict the use of motor vehicles on unsealed unclassified roads for recreational use, subject to appropriate exemptions?”
The Government response recognises that these unsealed routes often provide essential vehicular access for local residents and businesses, and that many people enjoy using motor vehicles responsibly on green lanes without causing damage or disturbance. However those who have campaigned for a ban on all vehicular use of green lanes, whether justified or not, may use this as an opportunity to press their views.
Those organisations taking the lead in opposing any disproportionate restrictions include the National Motorcycle Council (NMC) the Land Access and Recreation Association (LARA) and the Green Lane Association (GLASS). They are encouraging all their members to respond to the DEFRA questionnaire pointing out that that motorcycling alone pours £100 million per year into rural areas, with green laners supporting businesses including B&Bs, pubs, hotels, local shops and rural filling stations.
In a joint communication they say: “The road network inside and outside National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty must be for everyone to enjoy. Access must not be forbidden to any mode of transport without evidence that real and widespread damage, over and above that caused by agricultural vehicles, is being caused. Less than 2% of highways are green roads available for public motorcycle use, reducing this further will increase pressure on what remains.”
The Federation considers that the interests of historic vehicle (HV) owners who partake in off road activities are completely subsumed within these mainstream “green lane” groups. Unlike other access issues such as CAZ or LEZs, there is no separate carve out for HVs that can be advocated by a separate response.
For Federation members who wish to give their views on the discussion, the DEFRA questionnaire is here https://consult.defra.gov.uk/future-landscapes-strategy/government-response-to-the-landscapes-review/ . For advice on a how to construct a response, this is detailed on the NMC website https://www.uknmc.org/news/lara-and-nmc-warn-of-clear-and-present-danger-to-motoring-and-motorcycling-on-rural-roads and GLASS website https://glass-uk.org/latest-news/defra-consultation.html. The public consultation ends on 9 April 2022.
