Green lane users’ volunteer labour keeps Essex right of way open for everyone apart from green laners

The public at large, especially those who obediently lap up the anti-vehicle media narrative peddled by hate groups, would never believe that 4x4 drivers provide voluntary labour to help local authorities by maintaining rights of way. If they did, they would find it even harder to comprehend that sometimes, the rights of way we maintain are ones we’re not even allowed to drive on.

This was the case in Essex recently, when GLASS volunteers responded to requests from the local authority to help with maintenance on a number of lanes – mainly byways, but also one bridleway.

‘We had planned to carry on with our byway repair work during the summer, with the permission of Highways,’ says Essex rep Rob Tongue. ‘But it soon became clear they were growing back almost as fast as we had cut them.

‘We started again at the beginning of September. Highways requested we cut back a section of the byway Debden 37 so they could get in to repair it at the beginning of October. It had more or less grown in, due to it being closed awaiting repair. This took us three weekends of cutting back to clear.’

The following month, they were called into action again to cut back another byway, High Roding 57 / Dunmow 43. This too had grown in. And here’s a little illustration of the way in which local authorities can come to rely on green laners’ voluntary efforts, saving taxpayers’ money in the process. ‘We still had a short section to finish,’ says Rob. ‘But the weather was against us –and a more important request for help was received from Highways.’

By now, the local authority had completed its repairs on the section of Debden 37 GLASS has cut back in September. So it was time to start work on another part of the same lane – as well as part of the adjoining bridleway. And here’s where the volunteers’ action becomes even more selfless. Highways asked us to cut back another section of the byway, and part of a bridleway that joins it, so they could take the full closure to all users off over winter –except for axled vehicles.’

So, just to be clear, that’s 4x4 drivers freely giving up their time and effort for the benefit of everyone apart from 4x4 drivers.

The local authority’s plan is that the lane will be fully closed to all users once again come spring, when final repairs will be carried out on the last section. After these are complete, the full length of the lane will at last be reopened to all users.

‘So most of November’s work was taken up on both the byway and bridleway,’ reflects Rob. ‘The latter has been unusable for many years and we have been inundated with thanks from many of the horse riders in the area.’ Next time you see a report on TV or the papers about 4x4 drivers wrecking the countryside, ask yourself why they chose not to tell you this story instead.

GLASS helps overturn improper lane closures after last-minute tip-off

A PAIR OF UNSURFACED ROADS IN CARMARTHENSHIRE have been saved from permanent closure thanks to the work of the Green Lane Association and the Trail Riders Fellowship. The lanes, one north of St Clears and the other east of Llandeilo, were due to be placed under TROs in October last year – but thanks to the eagle-eyed attention of GLASS member Dave Gravelle, the two organisations were alerted to their impending fate just in time to intervene.

‘This was the first time that myself or any other local GLASS members had been made aware of these TROs,’ explains GLASS’ Carmarthenshire rep Andrew Hadley. ‘It turns out they were advertised in the Carmarthen Journal back in July 2022 but unfortunately we had missed it. It’s certainly something I will be checking every week from now on as it could have saved a lot of effort if we had picked it up at the time of the applications.’

At this point in time, the TRO applications were due to come into force within a matter of days. Thus the teams from GLASS and the TRF only had until the start of November to challenge them and save the lanes from being lost forever.

‘Thanks to a number of contacts including Sean Brown, Kelvin Varney and my brother Mark Hadley (Chairman of the Local Access Forum for Carmarthenshire), we were able to check out the lanes in question and could see no reason for a TRO on them due to condition or safety,’ continues Andrew. ‘Due to the short timescale, and the fact I was actually away on holiday at the beginning of October, Pete Jones and Chris Mitchell took the lead and I would like to thank them for all their hard work dealing with this.’

Further investigation showed the reason why GLASS had been unaware of the TRO-making process until the eleventh hour. ’The council had only consulted with certain users and not with all users that could be affected by these closures,’ says Andrew. ‘They were fully aware that the Local Access Forum were interested in all TRO applications within the county but had not consulted with them on these applications.

‘They had also failed to provide a statement of reasons for the need for a motor vehicle restriction, and there was no evidence of a road safety issue on these routes.’

GLASS and the TRF both sent pre-action letters to Carmarthenshire County Council, stating that they were willing to challenge these TROs and would take it to court if need be. ‘Fortunately,’ says Andrew, ‘they have seen sense on this occasion and are currently in the process of overturning both TROs.’

Andrew describes the organisations’ joint effort as ‘a great example of everyone working together to get the outcome we need.’ However absurd it seems that the situation existed in the first place, another lesson learned about the way in which a right of way can be closed by a process that’s wrong at every turn – and further evidence, as if it were needed, that green lane users might remain vigilant at all times for back-door assaults on our rights of way.