Proposal above. Please take a moment to object (nicely) to Option 1 (banning motorcycles). To do so, send an email to [email protected] by 19th April.
This is the longest green lane in the Surrey Hills, one of the best close to London.
Cheers
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Done this a few weeks ago.
They have ruined a perfectly enjoyable byway and now want to ban any motorised use.
I can see the need to stop 4x4s using it, but they could just put a seasonal TRO on that so they donāt chew it up in the wetter months.
Saw the TRF post this the other day, but forgot to send it then and have now, thanks
Is this the one that leads up to passing a golf course?
I see itās the one that ends/starts in the pubā¦ I think I remember this, been a while since Iāve been on it.
Yup starts at the pub in Coldharbour and ends near the A25
Yeah if I remember correctly I used to always end up at the pubā¦the other entrance was this cave like entrance steepish uphill up and then right? Wasnāt it when you came off first time up it on KTM?
Was definitely where I came off when wheel got caught in a stone/branch and I went over handlebars onto my head on solo tripā¦
But it was always my starting point for a day on the lanesā¦ Oh how I miss those. Will try and write to her as well as it would be a shame if that lane no longer exists. But whatās the argument theyāll hear and believe to keep.open?
1st time, 2nd timeā¦ Multiple times at the beginning of my offroading days lol
Iāll send you a video of the exact route we used to do to refresh your memory
Sigh, brings back so many memoriesā¦ Mainly of very slow riding on road tyres because I had a pure SM rather than an off-road conversion 
Wanna buy a Pegaso Trail?
The argument is:
- Damage to the road has not been caused by motorcycle use
- Motorcycle use is sustainable
- There have been no accidents involving motorcyclists and other users
- All user groups can co-exist
- Motorcycles are narrow and can easily pass other users
- Existing restrictions should be enforced by the Police to deal with irresponsible users
but the suggestion is it would be counter productive to cut and paste that, so āin your own wordsā. The other suggestion is that any responses from other users (walkers, cyclists, horse riders) in favour of motorcycle use, if any can be persuaded, would be very beneficial.
Hey zombie, I only ask as I havenāt been on that trail for a very long time (must be about 7-8years).
So in truth have no idea what it looks like, other than the video nivag shared with me.
I remember it was fine to coexist. All of your points above are sort of arguments trying to defend against a ban rather than arguments for bikes being there.
Was thinking if there was a way to frame it as to what are the benefits of bikes being there (to bikers or otherwise).
Personally Iāve loved going offroading because it was part ride part workout, so framing it as a form of exercise which is hard to come by during pandemic.
The point, I think, it is that motorbikes already have the right to use the road (green lanes are roads) so it is not that we have to justify using it, more to rebut the arguments we should no longer be allowed to use it. The arguments against are mainly related to damage. One of the options is a permit. Kent do this (I have one) and although I donāt like the idea, it is actually easy to get one.
The problem with the exercise argument is that youād clearly get more exercise from a pedal bike. But no harm in trying.
I agree with why you loved it. Shame it is so far from London. This really is the closest good long lane from south London I think.
If you donāt have a suitable bike, Off the Kerb do one day tours in the area on their bikes which is good fun. It was them that told me about the closure threat.
I used to live in Epsom so was right next door for meā¦ 
Now Iām down in Sussex hence not being in a while. I also no longer have a bike and, at the moment no time for biking sadly 
The permit is fine but it doesnāt stop those that are either illegal or damaging the lane.
Restricting 4x4 usage will help.
They have done extensive drainage work on that lane over the years which has improved it for everyone.
Just need to make the walkers/dog owners understand they canāt just walk along the middle of a public road and not expect a vehicle to come near them.
Plenty of footpaths in the local area to avoid any traffic at all.
I think itās a very good point that walkers donāt realise they are effectively walking down the middle of a road (albeit a muddy one). Not sure how you get that point across though, maybe a few signs?
There are some mountain bike trails around there with similar issues, youāre happily riding down a dedicated bike trail and come face to face with a bunch of pensioners with their 3 dogs coming the other way who then get angry about bloody cyclists thinking they own the place.
The flip side of that is that it only takes a couple of nobbers on dirt bikes with exhausts like thunder and no consideration for others to give all greenlaners a bad name. I ride my mtb and walk with the kids on quite a few surrey hills BOATS and pretty much every motorbike I encounter is very careful and considerate, they arenāt the ones that get remembered though, especially when local ramblers are responding to council consultations.
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This is a good idea. Iāve spoken to a few horse riders over the years, most are cool though as we always stop and switch the engine off till they are happy or ride past if they say itās ok if going the same way.
The thing that seems to freak horses out is not seeing a face and if one comes over to investigate/sniff you itās best to wait till they settle before putting a hand up to stroke them.
Take mints and not carrots, some horses get ill from carrots.
If you put your hand out, let the horse sniff it first.