I have posted here to gain the widest possible audience.
Many of you know of Suffolk County councils imposition of a experimental TRO on U5410, Dam/Drury lane.
There is a period of six months in which to object to the order, that period expires on 3rd December.
I would like more objections please to this "experimental" TRO, as having taken advice from our rights of way experts, there is no mention in the order, of what the experiment is trying to prove.
All they have done is closed the lane for a set period. No doubt at the end of the experiment, they will declare it a success and push for a permentant closure.
Any damage on the lane clearly is not caused by motorcycle usage, that to anyone is obvious and i believe that if this is a true "experiment" then the re-intrduction of motorcycles to assertain any impact they cause is a neccessity.
Suffolk county council has previously been very amenable to motorcycles and their impact, indeed, we, the TRF, have been instrumental in maintaining access on another suffolk lane, Darney lane, which has a motorcycles exempt TRO on it. The council even carried out their own survey during that experimental TRO and found motorcycles to have no more impact than equestrian use. No surprise to any of us there.
What SCC are trying to do with Dam lane in this instance, is totally unacceptable. Dam lane is a public ROAD and as such, the highways authority has a DUTY to maintain this road for the benefit of ALL users. I haven't made this up, its written in law.
This is contained in section 130 of the Highways Act 1980, so closing this road to ALL users is unlawful.The other point that Suffolk county council have raised is their "Local Transport Plan", which they class users by means of a "priority" system. Walkers being first, followed by cyclists, equestrians then motorists.
Their plan has more to do with exercise benefits and nothing to do with either rights of way management or more importantly, their "DUTY" to maintain public ROADS to a suitable condition for ALL users. Whilst this transport plan is very good in as much as it would in their eyes, hopefully, increase people exercising, it has no place in determining the maintainence policy, when it clearly is the DUTY of any local authority to maintain the road for ALL users.
I ask you all to please object to the email below, pointing out the lack of any experiment, without assertaining any impact motorcycles may, or may not make. That without the re-introduction of motorcycles during the "experiment", no facts can be gathered and any experiment is flawed and therefore of absolutely no use when making and rational decisions.
Also, please point out that the Highways authority has a "DUTY" to maintain this ROAD and any local policies regarding access to "Prioty mode users" are irrelivent when taken in context of their DUTY to maintain this ROAD for ALL users in accordance to the highways act 1980, section 130
emails to be sent to
heather.miller@suffolk.gov.ukCould this please be sent to everyone on the mailing list please???
Thanks.