Illegal off-roading

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Rights of way officer at your local council?
 
I'm pretty sure that it's a straightforward police criminal matter now. However, the police can't do anything without evidence and catching off roaders is very labour intensive.
 

marinyork

Resting in suspended Animation
Location
Logopolis
The police. They'll be someone locally or unit that deals with it. Had a lot of offroad problems round here - personally I couldn't give a monkeys about it but it's something the police got excited about for a while. You catch them at the right moment they might even do something.
 

ComedyPilot

Secret Lemonade Drinker
Inform the police, and ask for a log number, and ask to be updated of any outcome. If you aren't informed, then complain quoting the log number. They should tell you if they catch someone (although they are not allowed to tell you who they caught because of data protection), if they couldn't resource the job, or if they attended and the area search was negative. But as other people have said, get as much info as you can, vehicle type, colour, reg no, description of occupants, without that the police are not in too good a position to help. Also if it is a regular problem, ask for the information to be passed to the local neighbourhood team PC or PCSO who are better placed to deal with community issues that Incident Responce officers that are resourced from initial phone calls.
 

ComedyPilot

Secret Lemonade Drinker
Also, tell the police what you'd like them to do. If it's telling the other driver off, they'll do that. If you'll provide a statement and go to court, then they'll prosecute. The police have powers under Section 59 of the Police reform Act 2002 to seize any vehicle being used in an antisocial manner. Then it costs the idiot driving about £150 to get the vehicle back and £20 a day storage costs. Not to mention any fine imposed by a court for offences such as no insurance etc.
 

LLB

Guest
If it is on a BOAT without a restriction order, then they have legal right of way, however if it is on a restricted byway or bridlepath, or footpath, they don't. If it on private land (off the byway) then it is an issue of trespass with the land owner.

Legitimate off roaders can spend a lot of time researching whether they have rights to use the byway and temporary restriction orders can be in place in the winter, and the speed limit is 30mph max on a byway.

You need to elaborate a bit more on the route they were using.
 
OP
OP
Panter

Panter

Just call me Chris...
Thanks for the advice, I'll make some calls tomorrow.

If it is on a BOAT without a restriction order, then they have legal right of way
No, this is classed as a public footpath. Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely nothing against off-roaders, I even do some myself when time allows but only where its allowed and when the surface will suffer minimal damage.

I'm very much live and let live and if it was only the odd vehicle then it wouldn't matter too much but they've churned it up with huge ruts and I'm sick of myself and the dog slipping and tripping over them.

The latest straw though is the huge pools of oil and diesel everywhere which is why I want to try and do something to stop it.

Its not a particulary scenic area although I quite like it as its desolate but I imagine its ecologically sensetive being on an estuary and it shouldn't be wrecked in the way it is IMO.

Thanks again,
 

LLB

Guest
Panter said:
Thanks for the advice, I'll make some calls tomorrow.

No, this is classed as a public footpath. Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely nothing against off-roaders, I even do some myself when time allows but only where its allowed and when the surface will suffer minimal damage.

I'm very much live and let live and if it was only the odd vehicle then it wouldn't matter too much but they've churned it up with huge ruts and I'm sick of myself and the dog slipping and tripping over them.

The latest straw though is the huge pools of oil and diesel everywhere which is why I want to try and do something to stop it.

Its not a particulary scenic area although I quite like it as its desolate but I imagine its ecologically sensetive being on an estuary and it shouldn't be wrecked in the way it is IMO.

Thanks again,

Get their Reg numbers and report them - use your camera phone if you can to gather evidence. They shouldn't be on the footpath and that is that. They give the remaining legitimate off roaders a bad rep and we are marginalised enough as it is. I have to drive 40 miles to the nearest BOATS which I know I can legally drive on and have no problem with this. They should do their homework on the legality or find their nearest pay and play site :blush:


This boils my piss a bit ;)
 

Night Train

Maker of Things
This really annoys me too. I am really interested in off road driving and the abilities of the vehicles in the most extreme situations but I don't involve myself in it anymore due to the environmental impacts of the activity. However, when I was active in it we always made sure we used suitable land either private with the owner's permission or we drove really carefully on legal routes. We used to report illegal drivers when ever we were able to (in those pre mobile phone days).

Collect evidence and report I'd say.
 

Trillian

New Member
I had the police tell me off for driving up a foot path once

it happened to also be my friends driveway but some moaning minnie had taken a dislike to vehicles going up it.
 
OP
OP
Panter

Panter

Just call me Chris...
I think the big problem will be lack of evidence.

I got home from work early yesterday and took the dog up there for a run. There was a Landrover discovery and an off-road bike thundering round but neither had number plates. I doubt they're even registered to be honest.

I'll contact the police and see what they say although I doubt they'll be interested. Still, you never know.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Just report them to the Police non-emergency number. The report will be logged on the PNC and the next time the vehicle is seen by a patrol car with ANPR the driver will get a chat with the Police and a "producer".

Lancashire Police are encouraging our local action group to report speeders in our street this way.
 
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