Speed, noise under control

I am the county representative for the Green Lane Association. I have been involved with "green laning" for some 15 years. Although I do not in any way consider myself an expert on these matters I know and understand more than the layman.

Please allow me to clarify some errors and omissions from the article.

Firstly we are not off-roaders. GLASS members pursue their lawful activity on unsurfaced routes, which have vehicular rights. This pastime is very much "on roading".

The DEFRA figures state that 1.85 per cent of Rights of Way do have vehicular rights - 98.15 per cent do not have vehicular rights (excluding restricted byways).

However, the usable length is a small fraction of this due to illegal obstructions and neglect. None is unusable through damage.

More than 66 per cent of paths have at least part of their length with private vehicular rights.

Changes to the law are not intended to affect this private use, although there are serious concerns to hundreds of thousands of people who fail to claim access rights before they sell their property.

The purported "damage" done to the lane by GLASS members was the lawful removal of a limited amount of over and undergrowth, which the landowners had failed to remove during the spring.

The removal of this vegetation has the secondary effect of allowing in air and light to encourage the growth of more varied plants.

The lanes are narrow because they are overgrown. The lanes are overgrown because the county council has neglected its duty to ensure that rights of way are maintained.

Are nettles in any way unnatural? It is not vandalism; the overgrowth was trimmed back to allow passage.

Mr Hudson is appears oblivious to the fact that only pedestrians are allowed to use footpaths.

Regarding speed and noise, it is GLASS policy that speed is kept to a minimum on unsurfaced rights of way. Because the vehicles are travelling so slowly, noise levels are low.

MATT ROBERTS,

GLASS Worcestershire County Representative.