Off-roaders 'destroying' protected moorland

An abandoned 4x4 which was left on Ilkley Moor by off-roaders

People who want to protect moorland from a minority of off-roaders have expressed disappointment that a council has decided not to block off an access track.

The Friends of Ilkley Moor said that Bradford Council's ruling following hundreds of objections was a "setback" in their battle to stop 4x4 vehicles damaging the landscape while being driven recreationally.

The access road had become a popular route for off-roaders and the Friends requested that it be closed to traffic. West Yorkshire Police supported their suggestion.

The group's chairman Owen Wells said: "This isn’t about public access or being killjoys. It's about destruction by a minority."

The Land Rover that was abandoned on boggy moorland

Ilkley Moor is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and Mr Wells said any damage to the flora and fauna could be "significant".

"There’s general damage from driving on the moor, disturbing birds, and churning up the ground," he said.

"We also had people stealing the paving slabs from a footpath we surfaced to prevent widening due to mud.

"Ultimately, the issue is money. I’m sympathetic to Bradford Council - it doesn’t have enough money to fight this battle, and as a result, people engaging in anti-social behaviour are being allowed to destroy our countryside."

Owen Wells, from Friends of Ilkley Moor, with his dog Bran

Campaigners said the only way to challenge the abandonment of the Traffic Regulation Order would be a public inquiry with significant legal costs, but had offered to help fund the implementation of the road closure themselves.

The Friends group said there had been instances of 4x4s being abandoned on the moor after getting stuck.

The council confirmed that 371 people objected to the order, but its officers in a report accepted that the 1.5km rough track near Wells Road suffered "regular anti-social off-road driving".

Volunteers and rangers have placed boulders on the track to deter vehicles but it had had "minimal" effect, Mr Wells said.

A Bradford Council spokesperson said stronger access gates had been installed on the road, with boulders and ditches also brought in.

“We began the process to set up a traffic regulation order (TRO) for the road that runs over the moor following a number of incidents of illegal off-road driving and fly-tipping," a spokesperson said.

“We advertised our intention to impose the TRO but this received 370 objections, so we did not go ahead, and instead looked at alternative ways to protect the moor."

Green Lane Association, which promotes inclusive countryside access, said completely blocking off access wouldn't be the answer.

Chris Mitchell, chairman of the group, said: "We condemn any instances of illegal motorised access - where people have deviated from the public right of way - but we maintain that TROs are a disproportionate response.

"They prevent legal users, including the disabled, from accessing the countryside."

He said people caught illegally driving on the moor could be prosecuted using existing legislation.

The BBC has also asked West Yorkshire Police for comment.

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