TROLL ATTACKS CYCLIST [again] ...

[bonk man]

Yes you read it right a Troll has attacked a cyclist at Eckington Lock [ nr Bredon, Worcestershire on River Avon ] .. on a Sunday club ride..

Last year I was attacked, well shoved over by the lock keeper when I tried to use the swing bridge at the aforesaid location, he was arrested and is no longer the keeper.

The bridge is part of the right of way but the owners don't allow the public to use it instead force folk over the precarious lock gates. The route is on the definitive map and has been confirmed by the council as a right of way.... the owners disagree and have left a Troll guarding the bridge.. plus lots of PRIVATE KEEP OFF signs..

I am sure most of us have come across stroppy land owners [ Madonna etc ] who don't like footpaths or bridleways , how have you dealt with it?

The police, council and ramblers [ they are furious ] are involved and I have written a pompous letter to the land owner [ a charity hmmmm ] .

I might well take direct action, does anyone know how far I can go to use the bridge, if it is locked can I cut the lock or chain lawfully? I will take a witness or 8 as the Troll is bigger than me and I am slightly goat like

 

[Bollo]

In my youth I was threatened by a gamekeeper with a shotgun on a RoW. A very scary moment in my life.

Just edited because I've read your post properly about the Ramblers being involved. They're not shy of a bit of direct action.

 

[Mr Pig]

Can you take a picture of the Troll? I've never seen a Troll as I thought they were fictional characters. I've seen Bill Baily in concert, he's quite like a Troll I imagine, but I'd like to see a real one if possible?

Sorry, what did you say about the bridge and stuff?

 

[mickle]

Send the boys round.

 

[spandex]

Or just ask me to go round...


There is one thing I DO NOT like is being told what I can not do when I know I can.

 

[Crankarm]

I would take a local council official along as aren't they tasked with enforcing RoW, not sure about waterways though? If not they should be able to advise and if appropriate serve the landowner with an enforcement notice to keep the RoW clear. It might even be a criminal offence to deliberately close or obstruct a RoW. You could do a search on Land Registry on-line but only if the land at the lock is registered land to see what legal rights lie across the land and who the land owner actually is. You should also get a drawing of the outline of the land, any buildings on it and any RoW or other legal rights across it. It might cost you £6 but money well spent I feel. The lock keeper I feel certainly has no right to stop you passing unless he is the land owner or a legal representive of his. I would be sure you definitely have the legal right to pass over the land before you venture there again and certainly before you start cutting any property that doesn't belong to you. If you do have legal right to pass you have the full force of the law and could call the police if you were felt threatened or intimidated by the lock keeper. Take a camera and sound recording equipment. You could accidentally push him in the lock, oops..... .


Aren't the Ramblers Association a force to be reckoned with? Janet Street-Porter was their President at one point I seem to recall. A right bunch of countryside guerillas.

 

[Dave5N]

Bonk Man. Let's have a Malvern right of way party. Line us up and we'll piss him off, Week after week after week.

 

[Globalti]

Has Right to Roam actually made any difference to countryside access apart from appeasing a bunch of resentful pinko ex-teacher red-sock Ramblers?

 

[sheddy]

Wow, a real Troll ! I thought they only existed on interweb forums !
Will the local paper run with that headline ?

 

[dellzeqq]

Bonk Man

have you contacted Alan Lord (aka Bikepacker on the CTC forum)? I'd suggest that nobody knows more about rights of way in your part of the world.

If you have difficulty locating him (he's away on his bike a great deal) please let me know.

 

[bonk man]

Bonk Man. Let's have a Malvern right of way party. Line us up and we'll piss him off, Week after week after week.

not a bad idea Dave but I don't want to give up my Sundays is Saturday ok for you?

As far as I know and what I have seen and been told this IS a right of way, the definitive map shows it clearly and the enforcement officer agreed last year it was a right of way and the girl on the desk at the council said if it wasn't then they would have told me straight away.....

I will wait a week or two before taking any direct action but certainly will be going down there with bolt cutters and hopefully a few angry ramblers if the council turn out to be ineffective...

 

[HelenD123]

Quote from the Rambler's website:

22. Can I remove an obstruction to get by?

Yes, provided that you are a bona fide traveller on the path and have not gone out for the specific purpose of moving the obstruction, and that you remove only as much as is necessary to get through. If you can easily go round the obstruction without causing any damage, then you should do so. But report the obstruction to the highway authority (see Q7), and/or the RA: ask for our free report form, or use the form on our website.

 

[bonk man]

Hmmm, maybe I need to always carry a bolt cropper with me just incase the path is locked up The cost of a padlock over the fury on the face of a Troll... criminal record.. ha do I care? not likely, I have friends doing time for non violent direct action [ though I doubt snipping a rusty old padlock would get me banged up at Her Majesties etc....

I wouldn't say that the diversion in this case is easy to negotiate, especially if you have a child with you or have a disability as you have to clamber over a lock gate....

 

[very-near]

I would take a local council official along as aren't they tasked with enforcing RoW, not sure about waterways though? If not they should be able to advise and if appropriate serve the landowner with an enforcement notice to keep the RoW clear. It might even be a criminal offence to deliberately close or obstruct a RoW. You could do a search on Land Registry on-line but only if the land at the lock is registered land to see what legal rights lie across the land and who the land owner actually is. You should also get a drawing of the outline of the land, any buildings on it and any RoW or other legal rights across it. It might cost you £6 but money well spent I feel. The lock keeper I feel certainly has no right to stop you passing unless he is the land owner or a legal representive of his. I would be sure you definitely have the legal right to pass over the land before you venture there again and certainly before you start cutting any property that doesn't belong to you. If you do have legal right to pass you have the full force of the law and could call the police if you were felt threatened or intimidated by the lock keeper. Take a camera and sound recording equipment. You could accidentally push him in the lock, oops..... .


Aren't the Ramblers Association a force to be reckoned with? Janet Street-Porter was their President at one point I seem to recall. A right bunch of countryside guerillas.

Bunch of roaming map clutching, bobble hatted trolls the lot of them - Especially that minger JSP

 

[Christopher]

A friend of my Dad's used to take wire cutters out with him when rambling & cut as necessary. But he used to leave a card behind with his name and address, the way Dad tells it nothing happened but this was in the 1960s when people weren't as sue-happy as they are now.
If you are sure about it being a right of way, a mass tresspass perhaps? You can cross and recross the lock as much as you like, you just can't linger there. Lindy (very-near) could help you with that, it's near him. A bit too far for RR to travel to ride illegally along the footpath though.