Consultation: Bentworth & Wield permit scheme -deadline 28/9

[stevent]

All
On Friday I received the following notice in relation to the Bentworth & Wield permit scheme:

From: Rights of Way Central <[email protected]>
To: Rights of Way Central <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, 11 September 2015, 9:09
Subject: Proposal to make a Traffic Regulation Order on Bentworth Byway Open to All Traffic Nos. 23, 27 & 28 and Wield Byway Open to All Traffic Nos.17, 19 & 20.

Dear Sir / Madam,

Proposal to make a Traffic Regulation Order on Bentworth Byway Open to All Traffic Nos. 23, 27 & 28 and Wield Byway Open to All Traffic Nos.17, 19 & 20.

Hampshire County Council has received a request to make a permanent Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) under section 1 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 on Bentworth BOAT Nos. 23, 27 & 28 and Wield Byway Open to All Traffic Nos.17, 19 & 20. A large scale plan is attached showing the affected route.

This request has been considered in line with Hampshire County Council’s policy on Traffic Regulation Orders, which can be viewed on our website at http://www3.hants.gov.uk/row/vehicles-row.htm

Background
In February to March 2013, Hampshire County Council undertook a 6 week consultation with user groups and local residents on the future of Bentworth Byways Open to All Traffic (BOATs) 23, 27 and 28 and Wield BOAT 17, whose surfaces had suffered significant damage. Officers commissioned repairs and considered in some detail how best to protect the surface from future damage, taking into consideration the views of stakeholders, the law and the practicality of a range of options. The consultation and the options were described in detail in a September 2013 report to the Executive Member.

The Executive Member, having considered the evidence, authorised the use of an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) as described in paragraph 9 of the legislation above. The Order came into effect on 28 May 2014, covering the repaired routes and contiguous routes Wield BOATs 19 and 20. The effect is that motorcycles and other motor vehicles can only legally use the routes if they have applied for and been issued with a permit by the Council. The restriction is enforced by use of gates fitted with combination locks, the code for which is given to permit holders, who must adhere to a code of conduct.
Wield 17 was part of the ETRO, but not part of the permit scheme or opened to the public, due to the nature of the route and its inability to withstand use by motorised vehicles It remains closed to vehicles, and it is not planned to extend the permit scheme to include this route.


Proposal

It is proposed to impose a permanent restriction against motorised users to protect the surface of the routes from further damage, under section 1 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 together with a permit system to allow responsible motorised use on the BOATS described.

Your views on this proposal are welcome. If you have any additional comments to those previously submitted during the prior 6 week consultation, I would be grateful if you could respond in writing to [email protected] or the address below by Monday 28th September 2015. Following this consultation any intention to make a permanent TRO will be advertised and a report will be considered by the Executive Member for Culture, Recreation and Countryside, who will make the formal decision on how to proceed with this proposal based on the evidence presented.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours faithfully,
*********
Area Countryside Access Manager-Central East (Maternity Cover)
Countryside Access Team, Countryside Service
Hampshire County Council

I will be putting together a response on behalf of our Group, and I am also co-ordinating with other TRF groups and the TRF Rights of Road Director on this.
I will post up a separate thread in our members section detailing how I'm currently intending to respond. https://surreytrf.gigatech.co.uk/viewto ... =30&t=1708

IF YOU HAVE ANY VIEWS OR COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO CONSIDER FEEDING IN - PLEASE LET ME HAVE THESE BY MONDAY 21 SEPTEMBER

We can also discuss this at our club night on Tuesday 22 September.

If anyone would like to get involved in the detail on this please let me know, I can provide access to all of the background documents.

Thanks

Steven

[stevent]

All

This is the consultation which I spoke about at club night. The email address is [email protected] and the deadline is the 28 September.

Please make representations to HCC by emailing them your views.

The collective line we have agreed as the TRF is as follows.
- we (I) support measures which seek to address problems where they exist
- we (I) support the permit scheme being made permanent for 4x4 users
- we (I) object to the permit scheme being made permanent for motorcycle users,
- we (I) object on the grounds that there is no report evaluating the experiment, that objective evidence has not been provided that motorcycle use has been a problem
- Therefore therefore the case has not been made to make the permit scheme permanent.
- Also that the narrower side gates introduced create an unnecessary obstacle for all users, including motorcycles, horse rider and cyclists; and should be removed (but leaving the wider gates in place for 4x4 users who do not have permits).

Do put this into your own words, you can elaborate as much as you wish, but you do not have to set out war and peace. You can of course take a different view if you so wish.

I will post up again the background reports tomorrow.

Thanks

Steven

[kris]

have emailed in ...well done steven

[langley beta]

Done today

[Maria]

Emailed yesterday

[silvergull]

done today.

[stevent]

Just a couple days to go.
If you haven't already, please send in your representations.
I've posted up the response I've made on behalf of our group here - you will need member's area access to view : https://surreytrf.gigatech.co.uk/viewto ... 234#p14234