I WAS present at the Lake District National Park Authority rights of way committee meeting on October 8.

I had read the park officers' analysis and recommendations regarding the use by leisure motor vehicles of unsurfaced county roads in the Langdale area.

For the U5001 Tilberthwaite Road, the committee's determination was to advise Cumbria County Council to maintain the road surface at its current condition and create a partnership management group of invited key partners and stakeholders to work collaboratively to monitor usage and condition, undertaking necessary activities to help mitigate any new issues that may arise.

For the U5004 High Oxen Fell, it was to maintain the road surface at its current condition and to work with the county council and National Trust to help monitor the surface condition.

The key partners and stakeholders referred to are intended to represent the authorities, the land owner, user groups of all persuasions, campaigners, and local interested parties.

This approach will have every chance of establishing a regime of management of use which is fair to all, provided those involved are prepared to work together.

Maybe motor vehicle users will have to accept a curtailing of unrestricted access and accept restrictions such as one-way travel and closure at certain times of the week and year.

Maybe those whose attitude is “ban them” can have a change of heart and accept that the leisure motor vehicle users they so dislike do have rights over the small number (70 miles) of unsurfaced roads in the park. This can be compared with 2,000 miles of other rights of way and thousands upon thousands of acres of open access land to which those who don’t wish to be faced with meeting a motor vehicle can escape.

Maybe they can work cooperatively for dispassionate solutions within that understanding.

Thus I look forward to the formation of a management group, and trust there will be determination to make it work.

S Pighills

ROW officer, Cumbria group of the Trail Riders Fellowship