Green lane management
The use of motor vehicles on the ‘green lanes’ of the Yorkshire Dales is an emotive issue, and a source of complaint by residents and visitors alike. Irresponsible and illegal use makes this situation worse. The National Park Authority has worked with the Trail Riders Fellowship (TRF), county councils and conservation bodies to produce guidance for trail riders in the form of a leaflet - you can download a copy by clicking on the link below:
A summary of the main points detailed in the leaflet is:
- Use only motor vehicular rights of way. It is illegal to drive on footpaths, bridleways or across open land without the owners permission.
- Make sure that you and your vehicle are fully road legal.
- Be courteous to other users and landowners.
- Travel slowly and in small groups.
- Keep to the defined track.
- Exercise restraint in the use of unsurfaced routes in wet conditions.
- Help protect wildlife, especially ground nesting birds.
Public rights and recreational motor vehicle users
The Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006 contains a number of sections that have a significant impact on public motor vehicular rights in relation to the rights of way network. These provisions significantly curtail the scope for adding further public rights of way for motor vehicles, known as byways open to all traffic (BOATs), to the definitive map and statement (the local highway authorities’ legal record of public rights of way), and give certainty as to where public motor vehicular rights exist.
Apart, possibly, from some very rare exceptions, the Act makes it illegal to ride a motorcycle or other motor vehicle on anything which is recorded on the Definitive Map as a Bridleway or Footpath (up to date OS maps are the readily available nearest indication of this). If you require more detailed information please contact the Authority's Definitive Map Team on 0870 1 666 333. Anyone requiring details concerning the ‘list of streets’ (unclassified county roads) should contact the relevant county council.
The following information is available for users from our Document Library. Click on the links below:
- Byways Open to All Traffic (opens Document Library)
- Current cases for byway status received before 20th January 2005 - 5 February 2007 (opens Document Library)
- Footpaths & bridleways that have been used by motor vehicles but which have no motor vehicle rights (opens Document Library)
Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs)
There are currently restrictions in place on a number of routes in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, which are either for management reasons or for essential maintenance work. You can download a copy of the current restrictions from our Document Library.
- Current Traffic Regulation Orders in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (opens Document Library)
There may also be proposed TROs. These are available from the Traffic Regulation Orders page.
To find out more about Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority policies relating to green lane management and the powers that we now have to make Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs), visit our Green lane policies, Green lanes management framework and TRO process pages.
