Good pics Spyderman. No way as bad as I imagined!
A few 4x4s down it would flatten out those ruts nicely.
I still haven't had a reply from the council.:doh:

No reply to mine either, I'll probably get mine in October when the Winter closure is back in place.

I've received a response, worthwhile taking things to the top.

[FONT=&quot]Dear Mr *****,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I acknowledge receipt of your e-mail. I have asked Joel Carre, my Head of Communities, who manages this area to consider the points you have raised and look into the matter for me. We will respond shortly.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Regards[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Stewart Briggs[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Executive Director of Environment
and Sustainable Communities[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Bedford[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Borough Council[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]01234 228283[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
Sent: 20 May 2011 09:04
To: Stewart Briggs
Subject: FW: Forty Foot Lane[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]

Dear Mr Briggs,

I enclose a previous email sent to Adrian Fett & Martin Brawn, to which I have not received a reply, together with a photograph of Forty Foot lane taken last Sunday.
Surely this repeated use of TRO to keep this lane closed is illegal? The reason for the closure is quite simply nonsensical.

I await your response.

Yours Sincerely,




[FONT=&quot]
Sent: 12 May 2011 09:24
To: 'adrian.fett@bedford.gov.uk'
Cc: martyn.brawn@bedford.gov.uk
Subject: Forty Foot Lane[/FONT]

Dear Mr Fett,

How do you justify the continued illegal use of TRO without referral to the Secretary of State to maintain the closure of Forty Foot Lane to vehicular traffic?

[FONT=&quot]“ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]BEDFORD[/FONT][FONT=&quot] BOROUGH COUNCIL[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](KNOTTING AND SOULDROP: PART OF BYWAY OPEN TO ALL TRAFFIC NO 10 AND[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]WYMINGTON: BYWAY OPEN TO ALL TRAFFIC NO 8 (FORTY FOOT LANE)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF THROUGH TRAFFIC) ORDER 2011[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Notice is hereby given that the Bedford Borough Council have made an Order the effect of which will be[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]to prohibit any person driving any mechanically propelled vehicle or any horse drawn vehicle along Forty[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Foot Lane: Part of Souldrop: BOAT NO 10 and Wymington: BOAT NO 8 which extends from Plain Pond[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]at Ordnance Survey Grid Reference (OS GR) SP 9613 6117 (Map point A) for approximately 2240[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]metres to its junction with Public Footpath No 4 Knotting and Souldrop at (OS GR) SP 9783 6255 (Map[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]point B).[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]This closure is required to prevent serious damage to the lanes which would be likely if they[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]were used by vehicles during the present conditions. The closure is expected to continue to take[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]place from 1 May 2011 for up to six months.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The above lanes will remain open to pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Order will come into operation on 1 May 2011 for a period not exceeding six months.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]For further information please contact Adrian Fett, Tel: 01234 228335[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Dated 21 April 2011[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Borough Hall Stewart Briggs[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cauldwell Street[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Executive Director for Environment[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Bedford[/FONT][FONT=&quot] MK42 9AP and Sustainable Communities”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You cite the reason as prevention of “serious damage during the present conditions” We have just had the warmest and driest April on record, all lanes are both dry and their surfaces hard. How is a vehicle going to damage the lane by driving it?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]This lane has now been closed for over 3 years. Bedfordshire Council is not complying with their statutory legal responsibilities. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Maybe I should reduce my road fund license by x amount, as x amount of local right of way have been unavailable to drive because the council have failed to maintain them. Could you imagine them saying sorry chaps the M1 is TRO'd because it’s awfully expensive to maintain, so we have taken away the legal right of way away because we have had cuts and we have not budgeted for it.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I await your reply,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yours Sincerely,[/FONT]

Do you think that a message frin the Dutch Mountain Rescue service will carry much weight?

Ryder said:

Do you think that a message frin the Dutch Mountain Rescue service will carry much weight?

Click to expand...

I'm thinking a few pancakes, piece of Gouda and a smoke should do it.

Forty Foot Lane will not open this year or ever until BCC have sufficient budget to re-surface the lane. BCC consider the ruts to pose a H & S risk at present. There are no funds available or planned to repair the lane.

Spyderman said:

Forty Foot Lane will not open this year or ever until BCC have sufficient budget to re-surface the lane. BCC consider the ruts to pose a H & S risk at present. There are no funds available or planned to repair the lane.

Click to expand...

So you mean they just decided to close it! Doesn't sound right to me.

Why not speak to the local GLASS rep - could a working party be organised to sort the ruts out?

I have worked on several lanes in Shropshire with part of the CRAG group which is very active around here and Wales.

If you offer the council a working party of free labour, manage to get some cheap hardcore etc from a builder or some where (there must be people on the forum who can help) then it does go a long way to helping not only the lane but the relationship between the council and responsible users... Usually the council are happy to accept an offer of free help, its worth a try if you really want to drive the lane again!

BenjyP said:

I have worked on several lanes in Shropshire with part of the CRAG group which is very active around here and Wales.

If you offer the council a working party of free labour, manage to get some cheap hardcore etc from a builder or some where (there must be people on the forum who can help) then it does go a long way to helping not only the lane but the relationship between the council and responsible users... Usually the council are happy to accept an offer of free help, its worth a try if you really want to drive the lane again!

Click to expand...

I believe you can get hardcore cheap and put through a crusher it's fine for filling ruts.still don't see why this lane isn't open though.it's been dry for weeks.be a shame to loose it though if they close it for ever.maybe the free labour will help.

I still have not received a response!
I have today sent the third reminder.
Seems to me that the best saving of money would be to get rid of the rights of way department!

Here is a good place to start. oddly the article mentions Bedfordshire Council quite alot.

Hundreds of former council staff net more than £35 million in redundancy payouts from local authority shake-up - Telegraph

ring them up?

Or just go to your local paper... can't do any halm!

Spyderman said:

I'm pretty sure Santa Pod has an influence over BCC's decision to keep the lane closed, as accessing the lane means using the byway through the centre of Santa Pod Raceway.

Click to expand...

I would disagree with that - the owner of Santa Pod has crossers and is a keen green laner and I doubt very much the sort of person who would want a lane closed. I know people that know him quite well and they are very doubtful he would help with a lane closure. Santa Pod will quite happily escort people through on show days etc when people want to use the lanes - its not a problem for then in the slightest.

On the other hand, apparently the farmer is opposed to just about any change and has caused the raceway quite a few issues...complaints about the noise (seriously - its a drag strip and an airfield before that?!)... the chance of him helping out ploughing the lane or whatever is a big fat zero

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but we are looking at doing some lanes over Bedford/Northants way tomorrow, I take it Forty Foot is still closed?

I sent a similar email to the ones you posted sometime last year but I didn't get a very helpful or constructive reply!

Oh well, back to the BBQ!