Peak District MTB has submitted a call for reform to the UK Government’s inquiry on outdoor access.
Peak District MTB are calling for:
- A legal right to ride suitable footpaths already in informal use.
- A national target for all National Parks and Local Authorities to open a minimum 22% of rights of way to cyclists.
- A legal duty on the National Trust, water companies, and other landowners to publish Rights of Way Improvement Plans.
- A review of HMRC tax relief schemes to ensure access agreements with landowners are legally enforceable, include cyclists, are developed with local user input, and are transparently monitored to guarantee the public benefit promised in exchange for taxpayer subsidy.
- Recognition of mountain biking’s value to health, rural economies, conservation, and land stewardship.
- Support for MTB volunteers who maintain and repair trails.
Peak District MTB statement:
As proud supporters of theBritish Mountaineering Council’scampaign to the APPG Inquiry on Access to Nature, Peak District MTB is demanding urgent action to address the unfair and outdated restrictions on cycling access to the countryside.“
From defending Rushup Edge to building partnerships around the Hope Valley, the Roaches, and beyond, the group has shown how responsible cycling access can benefitwalkers, riders, landowners, and nature alike.
“The Peak District is a national park in name—but not in access. Just 11% of trails here are legally open to cyclists, compared to 22% across England. We need legislation that reflects how people actually enjoy the outdoors today. That’s why we launched our #22PercentCampaign: to challenge outdated rights of way law and give responsible mountain bikers the access they deserve.” – Greville Kelly, Chair of Peak District MTB.
Singletrackworld’s story The Duke, the bike ban and the taxman story formed part of Peak Ditrict MTB’s submission.
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There’s a low 5 bar gate that’s easy to lift the bike over – and it opens, and a low kissing gate to walk through. As you say the stretch of road is horrible and I’ll avoid riding it if there’s another option.
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I’ve ridden it dozens of times and I think I’ve been challenged twice, both by red socks. As I say, I’ve seen the farmer in his 4×4 and never had any issues
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You should probably address that first because its an unnecessary self imposed restriction. Why do they have a problem with riding footpaths? I assume because they see it as being wrong… its not wrong, you just don’t have a legal right. Getting people to understand the actual rights of way rules is far more important in my mind.Â
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This proposal does nothing to address that.Â
How would you know if a footpath had now been updated to permissive? You’d have to wait years to check the definitive map, or wait even more years to check a guidebook, though as the permissiveness might be removed, I would guess it wouldn’t be included in a guide book… Or you could ask on a forum, where people would say “I’ve ridden that path for years without issue".Â
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These days I probably fall more on the side of Cheeky trails than committees and chairmen but I’ve never liked their childishness of it. We’re not renegades sticking it to the man, we’re middle-aged professionals trying to avoid the drudgery of modern life, have a proper grown up conversation and perhaps we’ll get some grown up results.Â
I know that last bit is perhaps at odds with the first but I firmly believe we should educate the masses first and hobnob with the bigwigs last.Â
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You know we’ve been doing that for ages podge
I should perhaps clarify this a bit, although I’d assumed it was implied.
I shall keep riding where I’ve always ridden, regardless of how that path is categorised, Â at all times adhering to Rule 1, and have polite conversations with anyone who may object (which is incredibly rare). If they fail to have a polite conversation back then that’s their day ruined, not mine.
The utterly ridiculous part of it is that we have been through the whole stupid cycle already in Scotland. When we lived in Glasgow 25 years ago the acces laws were similar to England now. We religiously followed the rules and rode bridleways only and it was shit.
Then after we moved south they suddenly agreed the whole Bridleway/footpath thing was bollocks and dropped it.
And I regretted the wasted time.
But for some reason she is happy to go through the whole nonsense again in England.
I’ve had more ‘interactions’ on bridleways in the Peak District with walkers (mostly in the summer/tourist season)’ than I ever had riding ‘suitable’, hardly used footpaths. Trying to explain to someone who is intent that we don’t ride our mtbs anywhere, that we are on a BW (even being shown the OS map) is slightly frustrating.
I had a similar interaction with a group of hardy ramblers who were shouting at me “that I should ride on the road"
They went very quiet when I pointed out they were walking on an unsurfaced road.
I have also had massive tantrums from some walkers when riding legitimately.
You can’t win with some people can you?
unfortunately the current anti-bike ‘culture wars’ promulgated by r/w media is finding its way now to some in the ‘rambling community’, it’s tedious, the roads are no fun for cycling and now it seems even off-road is getting fraught for bikes… I am seriously considering getting a kayak and heading out on rivers and loughs to get away from these nutters.
MartynS of this parish has a great story of being harangued by a walker by a gate on the top of Mam Tor.
Walker – “You shouldn’t be riding here, it’s not a bridleway"
Martyn – “Yes it is"
Walker – “No it isn’t"
Martyn – “Do you have the local OS map to hand?"
{Walker gets out map}
Martyn – “See that picture on the front, the one of two mountain bikers standing by a gate?"
Walker – “What about it?"
Martyn – “That’s this gate"
It isn’t though. We’ve all had occasional grief from (mainly) walkers, because some people are just dicks, but 99.9% of my interactions with others when out on my bike have been entirely pleasant.
Peak District is by far the worse place I’ve ridden for angry busybodies itching to tell someone off.
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it depends where and when, true, normally the busier places are worse, at least around where I am.
I ride in the Peak District. I’ll do a cheeky footpath where I’m not being a complete dick in doing so. Never had any issues with someone telling me I couldn’t cycle there
Although that’s not 100% true. Not the peak district but near me so about 8 miles from the edge of the Peak. Was cycling down a gravel road that I’ve cycled loads. When some numpty driving up it in a car stops and tells me I shouldn’t be riding there as it’s a footpath.
I mean technically it is but it’s also access for a bunch of houses so if you can drive your car down here I sure as hell can cycle here.
Similar situation near Castle Combe. There’s a track running from Castle Combe to Long Dean, that’s marked on maps as a bridleway, running as it does along and up the side of the valley, then down into Long Dean, the only route that avoids the river. Trouble is, at the parish boundary it changes to a footpath, from around the time rights of way became registered by councils in the 60’s.
You can see it on this section of map…
You can see where it changes between Lower Colham and Colham Mill. I haven’t ridden it for quite a few years, and it does involve hoiking your bike over a gate! Ok if it’s my singlespeed, not so much my hooligan hardtail.
There’s very little in the Peak District that’s both properly remote and suitable for riding to get away from folk like that.
Lake District is much easier – away from the tourist hotspots is generally fine. That said, there were certain bridleways in the Lakes that I wouldn’t ride during a summer weekend. Even though we had every right to be there it was just exhausting and slow and frustrating dealing with hordes of walkers.Â
I reckon the answer is either crack of dawn or mid-evening rides. Then you can go more or less where you want.
i’m guessing you haven’t looked in to river access…
Question 1: Is it wrong to quite enjoy it when someone gets all upity at me?
(Aside from.being on a footpath – completely unprovoked, riding considerately etc)
I love being all cheerful and polite while I explain exactly how much I care what they think while they get even more upset.
I’ve no idea what is wrong with someone who thinks it’s alright to start screaming at a stranger for an incredibly minor transgression in the grand scheme.od things.
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Question 2:Â if someone is riding a surron somewhere they shouldn’t, but is doing so considerately, do you think about challenging them?Â
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My own answer to question 2 is that it does pop into my head….wish it didn’t…but then I remember it would be throwing stones in glass houses so live and let live innit
I was walking in the park earlier, a couple of lads cruising round but very steady and it was quiet. I’m alright with that.
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There’s plenty of options for loughs and rivers where I am 👍
I think it depends on where abouts in the Peak District
My own experience is that the closer you get to the Hayfield/Edale centre of Right to Roam, the more the concept of ‘Right to Roam’ for the masses is lost and the more it becomes about ‘My Right to Roam’ …. the exact attitude that was challenged a hundred years ago.
The fact that this area is also the closest to the largest conurbations near the Peak District (Manchester and Sheffield) is not a coincidence when it comes to the amount of older, seemingly ‘hardcore’ middle class walkers with time on their hands and a rucksack full of self-centred attitudes to be shared.