As initially reported on UKH in July, a legal order has been made banning recreational trail-bikes, quad-bikes and 4x4s from a Peak District National Park country track for 18 months.
© PDNPA
The Peak District National Park Authority announced in June that it was planning to make an Experimental Traffic Order at Chapel Gate, a country track between Chapel-en-le-Frith and Edale. The Authority has the power to make such orders to conserve the landscape's natural beauty and wildlife.
A legal notice has now been made which means no recreational motor vehicles can use the route from August 31 until the end of February 2013, towards the end of which time a decision will made on whether to make a permanent ban.
The trial ban affects a 3km route which skirts Rushup Edge and runs along a high ridge crossing a landscape of the highest international importance for its wildlife and natural beauty.
Christopher Pennell, chair of the audit, resources and performance committee which decided to make the order, said:
'Chapel Gate is an important route because it runs through a Special Area of Conservation, a Special Protection Area and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.'
'Unfortunately, as the course of the route became badly rutted, people deviated onto the land at the side of the track and damaged the fragile wildlife habitats there.'
'During the 18 month trial, we will assess how successful this approach is in conserving the national park landscape and decide whether we need to make the ban permanent, vary it or discontinue it.'
Full details of the Experimental Traffic Order at Chapel Gate can be seen by visiting the National Park website, while to find out what the Authority is doing to manage the use of vehicles on unsurfaced roads more generally visit this page.
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