Frances Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Noticed this at http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/DAFF-willin...mage.5143936.jp Douglas North MHK Bill Henderson has attacked the DoT and the DAFF, accusing them of 'reckless negligence' in looking after hill lands. 'I have been contacted regularly by concerned members of our community with regards to the flagrant destruction of our public footpaths and areas of our hill and,' he said. 'The DoT and the DAFF have a legal environmental and conservation obligation towards this public and wildllife amenity, which they are fully aware of. Yet we have the destruction of our priceless natural heritage ongoing, right in front of their noses.' Doubt if anymore will come of it - it only takes a few bikers to wreck a path as once the ruts have been worn rain water drainage will dig them deeper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanna Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Plant a rare orchid up there then the daff will trip over themselves to look after the place. Otherwise they couldnt give two hoots. Seriously though who is actually supposed to be in charge of looking after the wildlife and environment. Cus I dont think Ive ever seen Daff do anything useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 As a responsible offroad biker I would have no objection to paying a licence fee/additional road tax of a couple of hundred quid a year on the proviso that the monies raised were used solely for the upkeep of the Islands greenways and tracks. Offroad users should club together and maintain these tracks voluntarily but with daff support, like the mountain bikers have done in the plantations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vee_dub Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 As a responsible offroad biker I would have no objection to paying a licence fee/additional road tax of a couple of hundred quid a year on the proviso that the monies raised were used solely for the upkeep of the Islands greenways and tracks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJW Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Seriously though who is actually supposed to be in charge of looking after the wildlife and environment. Cus I dont think Ive ever seen Daff do anything useful. Come off it spanna they've done loads of good stuff: there's the sterling work in the Point of Ayre gravel pits, habitat creation (e.g. fresh water pools) on the Ayres NNR, vigorously imposed the 'dogs off leads' law also on the Ayres, prevented the extinction as a breeding species of Grey Partridge, Yellowhammer and doubtless a host of other species, brought about the return of Corncrakes... I could go on, but you get the general idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manshimajin Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 As a responsible offroad biker I would have no objection to paying a licence fee/additional road tax of a couple of hundred quid a year on the proviso that the monies raised were used solely for the upkeep of the Islands greenways and tracks. Is it a question of 'upkeeping' pathways or is it that the fragile nature of upland environment is just not suited for offroad bikes and trail bikes so they should not be allowed on upland paths? I don't know the answer to this. Talking to a fell walker the other day he was distraught about the erosion being caused in the uplands by bikers. The guy is a local who has walked the fells for 50 years and has (he says) seen dramatic deterioration in the last 10 years or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanna Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Come off it spanna they've done loads of good stuff: there's the sterling work in the Point of Ayre gravel pits, habitat creation (e.g. fresh water pools) on the Ayres NNR, vigorously imposed the 'dogs off leads' law also on the Ayres, prevented the extinction as a breeding species of Grey Partridge, Yellowhammer and doubtless a host of other species, brought about the return of Corncrakes... I could go on, but you get the general idea. you missed the NOTTTTTTTttttttttttttttttttt . at the end of your post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanna Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Is it a question of 'upkeeping' pathways or is it that the fragile nature of upland environment is just not suited for offroad bikes and trail bikes so they should not be allowed on upland paths? I don't know the answer to this. Talking to a fell walker the other day he was distraught about the erosion being caused in the uplands by bikers. The guy is a local who has walked the fells for 50 years and has (he says) seen dramatic deterioration in the last 10 years or so. Well according to the first post, he says footpaths. If its footpaths (not greenways) then bikes arent allowed on them so its not a case of upkeep its a case of stopping illegal riding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJW Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Come off it spanna they've done loads of good stuff: there's the sterling work in the Point of Ayre gravel pits, habitat creation (e.g. fresh water pools) on the Ayres NNR, vigorously imposed the 'dogs off leads' law also on the Ayres, prevented the extinction as a breeding species of Grey Partridge, Yellowhammer and doubtless a host of other species, brought about the return of Corncrakes... I could go on, but you get the general idea. you missed the NOTTTTTTTttttttttttttttttttt . at the end of your post. I thought it would've been obvious to the hoardes of conservation-minded posters on this forum. As for the bikers on the uplands, well there's nowt up there is there? Let 'em trash it I say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digga Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 This is what was said last time it got in the news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.K. Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Bikes shouldn't be on footpaths, but they are allowed on bridleways. Does the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Trees make that distinction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballaughbiker Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Despite the thread name are we actually talking about footpaths here or trails that are presently open to motorised traffic under 0.5 tonne? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manshimajin Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Well according to the first post, he says footpaths. If its footpaths (not greenways) then bikes arent allowed on them so its not a case of upkeep its a case of stopping illegal riding. The IOM Today piece refers to upland tracks and the damage being done to them: As mentioned I have been told that there has been a lot of damage on upland tracks in recent years due to trail bikes digging up the soft surface. Does anyone know how greenways have been affected? is this a case of our modern era encouraging people to use equipment that is simply not suited for where it is being used? Maybe horses are better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahc Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 The greenways that I have walked on are very rutted, very much like that photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted April 6, 2009 Author Share Posted April 6, 2009 any walker will tell you that illegal riding of bikes on footpaths is quite common - go out and just look at the tyre tracks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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