I SEE Nick Fieldhouse of Kankku is still peddling the line of an old farm Land Rover with a collie in the back as a description of his activities. If only that were the case.

The Kankku reality is convoys of ex-military vehicles trundling over wrecked public roads. His company strap line "Men of Kankku" says it all.

There are now two and possibly three commercial companies offering "off-road adventure" on public roads at our expense, in addition to the constant stream of independent groups.

Two weeks ago a convoy of six vehicles (not Kankku) was observed despite there being an agreed limit of four. It is astonishing, but probably not surprising, that the Lake District National Park Authority is unwilling to see there is a problem that needs to be addressed. It is even more astonishing that Cumbria County Council, whose roads are being ruined, don't even seem to care.

Graham Kilner

Hawkshead Hill, Ambleside

Editor's note: the Gazette contacted Nick Fieldhouse, of Kankku, and the LDNPA.

Here is Mr Fieldhouse's response:

"Graham Kilner expresses a clear preference not to have vehicles driving on gravel roads in the national park; we have empathy for his thoughts as I am sure do the county council and the park authority.

"Notwithstanding this empathy, the officers of the LNNPA have taken an evidence-based approach to investigating the perceptions of those with preferences similar to Mr Kilner, and have simply recommended that a collaborative approach to the maintenance of the roads in question and their use pattern should be taken rather than a restriction per se.

Instead of waiting to count the next nine vehicles that pass his house atop Hawkshead Hill in the weeks since his last letter to the Gazette, perhaps Mr Kilner could roll his sleeves up and come and help us maintain the odd road or drain in support of the initiatives of those that govern the national park?"

Here is the LDNPA's response:

"We have recently published a committee report relating to the future management of unsealed county roads at Tilberthwaite and High Oxen Fells, which is available to view on our website. This report explains the issues, details our evidence-gathering process and our reasoning behind our recommendation to committee.

"This report was to be considered by members of our rights of way committee on 8 October and at this meeting members were to make a decision on how the authority will proceed regarding the future management of the routes, including whether or not to formally consult on a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO).

“Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) need to be thoroughly evidence-based, examining various types and levels of use and various impacts, not just opinions or perceptions. Legal intervention to restrict vehicles on unsurfaced public roads is possible through the national park authority’s powers to create a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO); however, applying TROs is a last resort for us, which follows government guidance.”