The RSPB has nicked our trails!

GhallTN6

We've been riding in some local woods for a couple of years and there was never an issue with us riding in there, even dog walkers didn't mind!

However, the RSPB have recently got hold of the land (probably donated by some old dear in her will), and are now converting it to a reserve and are banning all cycling activity.

Any other people been caught up in something like this and what did you do about it!

cheers.

Bikerbaboon

not alot you can do if they own the land...... if they dont talk to the land owner and see if you can get a pertition going.

again if the rspb own it then they can say who or who cant use it.....

Balaclavas

Get a few people togetherand talk to a lawyer, you could have a right to a fair hearing by legitimate expectation as the RSBP are a public body, then you you would have to identify an overiding public interest, which may be difficult in the circumstances. Your reasoning could be that it is an activity which is beneficial for the health of the local comunity, although it hast to be widely used. That you were allowed to do it by the previouse owner and the rsbp took with notice of this could bring it into property law somewhere, though I can't quite remember off the top of my head.
If you're seriouse about protecting your spot and its worth it, and you know a lawyer who owes you a favour, get him to write a letter, or speak to your local citizens advice beurau.
Though in conclusion, I'd say highly unlikely you can do anything, and it would possibly get quite expensive if lawyers get involved.

Iain C

What a pisstake. So presumably dogs can run around free barking at anything that moves and crapping everywhere yet you can't ride a bike along a defined path? Brilliant. :evil:

Northwind

Any chance it's a right of way?

Actually, where are you, RSPB is a national charity... Access laws are different in some parts of the country.

Tranced

There needs to be some kind of database here & on other interest forums that keeps track of "interest friendly" org'/ groups & those that are not interest friendly.
That way we the "interested" could browse the database & decide whether to donate to said .org or not.

i.e. if abc.org regularly crops up as being cycling/ photography/runner/dog- walker/whatever unfriendly, then these cycling/ photography/ runner/dog-walker/ whatever types could just stop supporting them.

On the other hand those that are regularly listed as being cycling/ photography/ runner/dog-walker/whatever friendly would benefit from additional support.

When I hear of a .org type that is unfriendly to my interests I try make sure all similar interested folk know & try get them to move their support elsewhere.

Maybe there should be a friendly or not post on the forum for keeping track of this. Could relate to .orgs, places, businesses, basically anything.

dave_hill

GhallTN6 wrote:

We've been riding in some local woods for a couple of years and there was never an issue with us riding in there, even dog walkers didn't mind!

However, the RSPB have recently got hold of the land (probably donated by some old dear in her will), and are now converting it to a reserve and are banning all cycling activity.

Any other people been caught up in something like this and what did you do about it!

cheers.

If the trails that you use are not public rights of way, there's jack all that you can do - whoever owns the land (or is the tenant if it's leased) can close any permissive access without prior notice.

If they ARE public rights of way (and the only way to check is to visit your local authority and view the Definitive Maps for the area) then any new land-owner or tenant has to apply to have them closed or moved.

This is a very difficult, drawn out and expensive procedure. However, if applications are made for closure, diversion or if Traffic Restriction Orders (TROs) are applied for, notice has to be given and a consultation period allows objections to be heard before the local authority make the decision, or recommend a public enquiry (which prolongs things even further).

Petitions are an absolute waste of time and effort - I really wouldn't bother.

heavy_rat

I'm a keen angler as well as MTB'er and the RSPB have also been known for taking over lakes and banning fishing.

And now they are having a go at another of my past times. Needless to to say I don't have a good word for the RSPB.

strodey

I'm a fisherman too and yep they are screwing around with that too!

Ran a pheasant over today and no longer feel guilty

grahawk

I'm not sure what you expect the RSPB to do. The key factor in managing sites for birds is reducing disturbance as much as possible, which is especially important for ground nesting birds and birds on lakes/old gravel pits. Access is very controlled at all their reserves - so no angling and carefully located paths. There are plenty of places to go fishing and relatively few undisturbed sites.

After a time, if they allowed cycling, horse riding or walking on unofficial paths, you can claim it as a right of way. They can't afford such a thing, even if the cycling is not causing much disturbance, and any wildlife conservation organisation will do this.

strodey

That was a rather 'twitchy' response

dave_hill

grahawk wrote:

After a time, if they allowed cycling, horse riding or walking on unofficial paths, you can claim it as a right of way.

It's called Right of Precedent, and it can take anything from 10 to 25 years to prove! Even then, there's no guarantee that you'll be succesful in your claim.

shin0r

heavy_rat wrote:

I'm a keen angler as well as MTB'er and the RSPB have also been known for taking over lakes and banning fishing.

And now they are having a go at another of my past times. Needless to to say I don't have a good word for the RSPB.

They're hardly doing you an injustice - there's plenty of land the RSPB don't own where you can ride and fish.

heavy_rat

its is an injustice actually when they take over one of the best fisheries in the north that being burton mere.

shin0r

heavy_rat wrote:

its is an injustice actually when they take over one of the best fisheries in the north that being burton mere.

Burton Mere was a privately owned fishery. Terry Knight sold it to the RSPB. He could have sold it to anyone. It's just business. I agree that it's unfortunate for anglers that the RSPB have banned angling at the water; but it's their land now.

I'm a keen angler myself, and I try my best to leave no litter when I fish, but there are too many a**holes in the sport who leave cans, packets, hooks, bait, line etc to pollute the environment - and this is the main reason the RSPB doesn't like anglers. It's only a few who spoil it for the rest.

If the general angling population feel strongly about this sort of thing then why don't they organise themselves into a central body, and finance the purchase of venues from subscriptions? These could then be rented back to angling clubs. I know it isn't as simple as this in practice.

passout

Unless you were riding on public bridleways I suspect that you are bound by whatever decision the new land owners make. By the way, dog walkers (well...their dogs anyway) are much more of a potential problem to bird life - I guess they will be banned too unless it's a public footpath.

Before bothering with a petition or legal action I'd talk to somebody senior in the organisation and see if they will keep some trails open. The idea of zoning rural recreational areas by type of usage is quite common especially where some areas are environmentally sensitive. So, are there any areas which they, after an environmental assessment, could allow cycling in? I guess the have environmental policy which encourages sustainable transport (they should); I'd research this. The idea of bike access on some parts of the land (especially for members to reach place) 'may' appeal to them. It's certainly worth a go .

I might talk to the sustrans and see what they say - they know about cooperation with other organisatios and access issues. Whatever happens try cooperation before threatening conflict & talk to somebody with authority.

Good luck.