Scope for increasing the opportunities for off-road motor vehicles is limited overall because of potential conflicts with other recreational activities and the National Trust's conservation purposes. However, there should be a more positive and welcoming approach where use is both legitimate and responsible.

Guiding principles

1. The National Trust should recognise the legitimate rights of access for motor vehicles.

2. The National Trust should not resist well-founded claims for vehicular Rights of Way.

3. Recreational, informal use of vehicles in open country off vehicular Rights of Way should be strongly resisted.

4. Where problems associated with this activity are caused or anticipated, voluntary solutions should be sought through liaison with the motoring organisations' Land Access and Recreation Association (LARA) and the local highway authority. Only if these efforts fail should the implementation of Traffic Regulation Orders be sought.

Good practice
Close liaison should be established with local users wherever possible to encourage responsible use of National Trust property. LARA members will comply with reasonable requests to avoid particular routes and have offered assistance to maintain routes and erect signposts. Lake District, North West: Traffic Management Study

When conflicts of interest arise or when byway applications are made, there should be extensive liaison with LARA representatives and local highway authorities to develop a positive approach to the management of off-road vehicular access. Cherhill Down, Wessex: Conflict Resolution

LARA's Code of Conduct and Access Guide should be promoted wherever possible. White Horse Hill, Thames & Chilterns

Monitoring suggestions
Levels of use should be monitored to determine the source of any problems associated with off-road vehicles.

Trends
The sales of off-road vehicles and the range of models have been increasing over the past ten years, the percentage of these vehicles used for recreation on byways is unclear.

Trail Riders Fellowship (TRF) membership is currently static at approximately 1,500 members, but estimate active trail riders number nearer 4,500. All Wheel Drive Club membership is 4,500, but the estimated total of participants exceeds 20,000.

Possible impacts

• Erosion of route surfaces, particularly in bad weather.
• Damage to walls and gates.
• Interference with other users and their safety, particularly when using rights of way unlawfully or irresponsibly.
• Noise pollution.
• Significant impacts on nature conservation are reported (Royal Society for Nature Conservation, 1987), but have not been noted on National Trust land to date.

Contacts and liaison

LARA (the motoring organisations' Land Access and Recreation Association)
PO Box 20,
Market Drayton
TF9 1WR

Tel: 01630 657627
Fax: 01630 658928
Email: hq@laragb.org
Contact: Motor Recreation Development Officer

LARA is the forum for promoting the responsible use of our environment for motorsports and recreation. It coordinates opinion and members' views on issues affecting their interests and serves as a contact point for liaison with outside agencies.

Full members: Amateur Motor Cycle Association, Auto Cycle Union, Association of Rover Clubs, All Wheel Drive Club, British Motorcyclists Federation, British Off-Road Driving Association.

Associate members: British Schoolboy Motorcyle Association, Civil Service Motoring Association, Motor Cycle Industry Association, National Autograss Sport Association, RAC Motor Sports Association, Trail Riders Fellowship.

Byways and Bridleways Trust
St Mary's Business Centre,
Oystershell Lane,
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE4 5QS

Tel: 0191 233 0770

Institute of Public Rights of Way Officers
PO Box 78,
Skipton,
North Yorkshire
BD23 4UP

Tel: 07000 782318
Email: iprow@iprow.co.uk

Trail Riders Fellowship (TRF)
The TR,
PO Box 196,
Derby,
DE1 9EY

Legislation, codes and agreements
Any use of the highway by motors is covered by a wide range of rules and regulations. No distinction is made in law between those public roads which are tarred and those which are not. Motoring away from public roads is also covered by a different set of complex rules and motorsport has its own codes of conduct.

References
Motoring organisations' Land Access and Recreation Association - 'LARA News'.

Trail Riders Fellowship - 'Trail', monthly bulletin.

Byways and Bridleways Trust - 'Byway and Bridleway' magazine, ten times a year.

Institute of Public Rights of Way Officers - 'Waymark' magazine.

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1997). Making the Best of Byways - a practical guide on managing the use of vehicles on public rights of way. DETR, Countryside Division, Bristol.

Motoring organisations' Land Access and Recreation Association (1993). Access Guide for Motorised Recreation and Motorsport in the Countryside. Motor organisations' LARA, Cannock, Staffordshire.

Motoring organisations' Land Access and Recreation Association (1993). Planning for Motorsport and Recreation in an Increasingly Sensitive Environment. Motor organisations' LARA, Cannock, Staffordshire.

Motoring organisations' Land Access and Recreation Association (undated). The Drivers' Countryside Code of Conduct. Motor organisations' LARA, Cannock, Staffordshire.

Royal Society for Nature Conservation (1987). Damage to Wildlife Sites by Off-Road Vehicles. Royal Society for Nature Conservation, Lincoln.

Trail Riders Fellowship (1994). Caring for green lanes. Trail Riders Fellowship, Motspur Park, Surrey.

Trail Riders Fellowship (1994). Handbook. Trail Riders Fellowship, Motspur Park, Surrey.

Other detailed publications on many motoring activities are available, contact LARA with details of your area of interest for further information.