I have arrived at the forum a little late regarding damage to the ridgway and the thread has been lost, but I will give you my input anyway. I am a 47 year old motorcyclist who uses the Ridgeway regularly. MY point, the like it and lump it bregade(refering to the last mail) are not doing any one any favours. It is correct that 4 x 4's have a legal right to use a byway. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that if you totally trash a lane, then one or two people may get a little upset.
I am not just talking walkers here. We have MP's trying to push through legislation to close all wrights of way's to mechanically propelled vehicles. This is mainly due to the pressure from the ramblers. But we have to ask ourselves why they are so obsessed with this issue. Perhaps it could be down to the like it or lump it bregade. ie, the 4 x 4 users, I have a right to use it and trash it. I, as a trail rider am also getting a little fed up with being lumped in with the 4x4 users, as a fellow vehicle user. Fed up because the damage being complained about, farm traffic aside, is 4x4 damage. It is about time(or be it now a liitle late) that the 4x4 users, used the byways responsibly. There is no reason as to why all user groups cannot co-reside on the Ridgeway. Frequently we meet at Barbury Castle cafe with walker, cyclists and horse riders, all seem to get on very well together. Funny, never met a 4x4 driver at the cafe, a little embarased may be.
Nick Hopton had a lively conversation on this forum with a 4x4 user and as a result was a little upset, Nick if you are still arround, banning 4x4's will result in the banning of bikers as well. We aint a bad lot. Just lumped in with a few.
Steve Gibbons Shalbourne Wilts