Vehicle ban rethink after legal threat

A ban on motor vehicles using a Devon lane reserved for walkers and cyclists could be partially reversed after an action group’s threat of legal action.

Rydon Lane, which stretches for 2.5 kilometres between Mill Lane in Exton and Globe Hill in Woodbury, had long been signposted as unsuitable for motor vehicles but in 2024 formal rules banning them came in.

This led to the southern half of Rydon Lane becoming an official ‘Green Lane’, allowing the likes of walkers, cyclists and horse riders to use it but prevented vehicles.

But now decisionmakers are considering partially reversing that move to allow motorbikes to use the lane after the Trail Riders Fellowship brought a claim for judicial review.

That was based on the claim there was no evidence that allowing motorbikes to use the lane would be dangerous because of potential collisions with walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

The Trail Riders Fellowship, founded in 1970, describes its aim as conserving green roads for public exploration and enjoyment.

Its website says it has spent £2 million in the past 10 years “defending the rights of motorcyclists”.

It adds the organisation “has maintained a vigil against a series of sustained attempts by anti-public access activists to further reduce the public’s access, including that of motorcyclists, on the Green (unsealed) and minor road network”.

East Devon’s highways and traffic orders committee (Hatoc) will be discussing whether the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) – the mechanism by which vehicles were banned on Rydon Lane – should be varied to “allow the inclusion of solo motorcycles (without sidecar and having two wheels”.