Public opinion has come down strongly against recreational off-roading in the debate over the continued use by vehicles of unsurfaced rights of way in the countryside intended mainly for use by walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Often called 'greenlanes', many of these routes are legally defined as Byways Open to All Traffic.
A massive 94% of people responding to an ICM poll said that it was important to preserve and protect the countryside, with 87% saying that they believed recreational off-roading should be banned in national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty to preserve the peace and tranquillity of the countryside.
79% of respondents said that recreational 4x4 vehicles and trail bikes using rights of way in the countryside meant increased danger for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, and that these vehicles were affecting the environment by introducing noise and pollution into the countryside and damaging habitats. 69% of people stated that encountering vehicles would spoil their enjoyment of a country walk.
The poll, commissioned by The Ramblers' Association (RA), comes at a time when the government is consulting on closing a legal loophole that allows motor vehicle users to claim rights if vehicular rights were established when the only vehicles were horse-drawn. Some seven million people visit the countryside every weekend to walk and cycle and a recent report estimated that the 530 million walking trips made in the English countryside every year generate £6 billion in expenditure.
The RA, along with a broad coalition of environmental, wildlife, disability, farming and land-owning groups, believes that the use of these rights of way is not only inappropriate, but that byways of great importance are being irrevocably damaged. Many of these routes are ancient in origin; some are Roman roads or Neolithic trackways of archaeological significance, while the banks and hedges that bound many of them form valuable habitats for wildlife.
Janet Davies, Head of Footpaths Policy at the RA, said, "The RA is not campaigning for a total ban on off-roading, but believes that allowing recreational motor vehicles such as trail bikes and 4x4s onto routes shared by walkers, cyclists and horse riders is rarely appropriate. We want our greenlanes heritage enjoyed in a sustainable way rather than being 'given-over' to vehicles; the results of this survey show that a majority of people agree with that position
The Ramblers' Association is grateful to members of the Cleveland Group for a substantial donation towards the cost of this opinion poll.
