NBHBA & RMNF Collaboration

On Friday 15th March a Volunteer from the Off Road Mitigation Zoom Project noticed that the fence at Codshaw Quarry had once again been vandalised. As soon as the rain allowed volunteers went up onto the moor to discover that not only had the fence line been cut but one of the sleepers from the horse stile had been completely dislodged, snapping completely the screws which held it in secure and exposing nails which had been used when installing the horse stile for added stability. After an hour or so the volunteers from RMNF and NBHBA had made the stile secure once again and repaired the damage to the fence line. The prompt repair is essential to keep access safe for legitimate users of the moor and to deter, as much as possible, the illegal use of off road bikes on the Moor.

A member also brought up about the water that is entrapped in horse stile close to Owd Betts. Unfortunately, due to some equestrians insisting that the fence line was illegal, rather than had not got consent, the advice from RMBC Legal Department was that no further work could be done on any of the fence line until the Planning Inspectorate has reached its conclusion on whether to grant S38 Consent. This has had the effect that no work can be done on this horse stile. Nor can access be provided opposite Rough Lea Farm where the majority of access to the Moor had historically been gained. The most up to date position on the S38 application can be found here