Should We 4X4 Owners Club Together

With the current state of the economy and the cuts we are all facing, is it time for us as 4X4 owners to club together to repair lanes we use, or might use as many of these will be lacking any repairs or maintenance due to the cuts.

Opposition to our use of off road lanes is mainly from the Ramblers Association, who themselves have used and manipulated the media into a frenzy of anti 4X4 hysteria and got all the media attention for their cause, even though just about every story was contrived and factually incorrect. As 4X4 users, and users of green lanes we could all do our pastime some good by maintaining the lanes we use, or have the choice of using, and gain some good media publicity for our pastime, as well as maintaining the lanes we love to drive. Many local authorities welcome such activities as it saves their precious finances, and the infrastructure for maintaining lanes is in place in most popular 4X4 off roading areas.

Would people be prepared to give up a couple of weekends a year to repair lanes, install fencing, mend gates, and undertake general lane clearance of waste and undergrowth; many clubs currently do this, but a lack of people is their biggest downfall, they all claim it is the same few who undertake such work. Many people wo do maintain lanes usually make it a family affair, children are actively involved, and many of the women club together to provide a continual supply of tea and coffee, and food at lunchtime.

Most tasks are not skilled tasks and can be undertaken by almost anyone, pruning, collecting rubbish, installing or repairing fencing, and just shovelling. It is not about the skills or fitness, it is about the numbers who can come together for a few days a year to do some good for the benefit of us all, and get some good publicity for 4X4 users.

I wouldn't have a problem with that. If more owners clubs joined together to maintaine greenlanes and trails then It would certainly show that they care about them. If they took pics of the maintance then they could be used as good photo evidence against the ramblers or other members of the public attempting to close down the lanes.

Also if i had worked on a fue miles of greenlanes and some yob damaged or destroyed sections of it, I personaly would want to find out who had done this, if many people also maintained these tracks im sure they would feel the same and between all the greenlane maintainers im sure the culprit would soon be found or the pressure would make someone come foreward.

When I lived in devon the farmers were pritty helpful, they often trimmed the hedges or repaired fences along bits of their routes near or over their land. A fue times when we drove by we gave he farmer £5 each and with 5 vehicles that £25 basicaly paid for his fuel etc, so he didn't mind. - We didn't do this every time but they apriciated it.

I have noticed a fue times when going across sailsbury plain that there are the odd fue who have over agressive tyres like Jungle Trekkers or Superswampers who insist on driving everywhere in 2wd and fast. Obviously damaging the terrain and making alot of mess, I know its a TANK training ground but there is not any need to do that, give us 4x4 owners a bad name! - The plus side is that If and WHEN the MOD finds out they take names, and i don't care how good you think your 90 is mate its not Shell/Bullet Proof!

Terracan Jas would support a fue weekend meet ups to repair or maintaine greenlanes, trails & byways, and be vigilant against such hoodlums.

thier are some groups and companies do this, but yes need more to act.
i would be willing to come, but to far for one day.

you have to get permission from the local council, ROWO, have insurance , inform the public etc theres a lot of red tape

Count me in I could spare a few weekend to help out

H.R.

Everything has to be done in conjunction with the local authority, that is why support and help is necessary, they have to do the necessary bureaucratic paperwork and have the systems to do so, it is not this which is the issue, it is getting materials and labour for projects and maintaining the lanes.

This is why larger groups are required, to make it worthwhile for the local authority to do the paperwork and provide materials, and why it would be viable for them to do this for the cost savings. Many authorities will also give consent for individuals or small groups to do more mundane, but necessary jobs such as clearing weeds, undergrowth, etc.

A lot of LAs are putting brick walls up with red tape.

Assassin wrote:

H.R.

Everything has to be done in conjunction with the local authority, that is why support and help is necessary, they have to do the necessary bureaucratic paperwork and have the systems to do so, it is not this which is the issue, it is getting materials and labour for projects and maintaining the lanes.

This is why larger groups are required, to make it worthwhile for the local authority to do the paperwork and provide materials, and why it would be viable for them to do this for the cost savings. Many authorities will also give consent for individuals or small groups to do more mundane, but necessary jobs such as clearing weeds, undergrowth, etc.

we did this for 7 years with our local club..every tool used by us had to be HS checked by the council and we had to be tested to see if we were capable to use it, THIS is what put people off from offering their skills and time, we even cleared a lane once only for the LA to TRO it the following week

gemini wrote:

A lot of LAs are putting brick walls up with red tape.

I thought "the big society" is going to sort all this lark out so we can volunteer to do stuff like this and save local councils money !!

Many 4x4 and Land Rover clubs do assist in the maintainence of Byways, but as pointed out within this thread, it takes a fair bit of organisation.

I would suggest anyone interested in volunteering their services should contact GLASS (Green Lane Association) via www.glass-uk.org Loads of info including a news section to the r/h side of the Home Page. Personally I have always supported them as it's one common voice, besides, they are good bunch of folk.