g n i n Life a L
aton E n e r u a by L
Read about green laning as seen through Lauren ‘Sunshine’ Eaton's windscreen at The Green Lane Association, and find out what’s hot, or not, in the laning world each month. Enjoy!
Much ado about PSPOs! (Public Space Protection Orders)
Every month many requests are put out via this column, and on social media, for questions from those in the laning community. These requests usually go unanswered, more's the pity as we’d welcome them with open arms, yet there are always hundreds of questions, discussions, accusations, and presumptions made on social media. People do have questions that’s for sure! So we picked a few at random about the recent hot topic - the Ramsden Road PSPO and associated chatter. So log off Facebook for a while and read on to discover what is really going on. I’d get a brew at this point, it’s a long one!
Why did GLASS negotiate a PSPO for their members only? Why is GLASS seen as an authority? - B.U. They didn’t and they aren’t. This was an offer made to GLASS instead of a potential permanent closure, and it was made to us as we were the only 4x4 organisation present. Had it been refused the lane would have been closed to everyone permanently, but as it stands we now have the opportunity of six reviews over the three year term of the PSPO to continue negotiations.
Is this what GLASS is going to do from now on? [As in use members’ only permit schemes and discriminate against other users] - P.S.
No. GLASS will continue to fight for all users of vehicular rights of way where at all possible, this does not change that.
Why were other 4x4 organisations excluded from the process? - A.L. They were not. Early in the process other 4x4 organisations were involved, and attended meetings. They
did not continue that involvement - why is not known. Other organisations were included in the permit scheme, but then complained about that inclusion, and were then removed from it as their complaint requested.
Why did [delete as applicable] an ex GLASS rep/exec/member say something I don’t agree with on social media? - S.A. Why does it matter? Anyone no longer within the organisation has no bearing on the current activities of the organisation. Decisions are made by majority vote anyway, so one person’s opinion is never overriding. Anything an individual states on social media using their personal profile is their personal opinion, and they are welcome to have one. All important GLASS official statements are decided on by a committee, and for clarity are posted as GLASS, via our official national or regional pages, which are public and viewable to all. Statements made by members (of any level) may not reflect those of the organisation, and that is fine as long as those statements do not bring anyone into disrepute.
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