A definite no.
There is plenty of tarmac in this country and not enough peace and quiet. Let there be a little space where modernity is kept away and shanks's pony rules, (apart from those who need to use the accesses). We do not have the space like France or America. Quite apart from this, who will pay for putting the tracks back together again,( try looking at the tracks in Kingsdale for the effect of 4x4's) not me indirectly I hope.

Just voted no and it's down to 69 per cent already. These online local newspaper polls often attract very low numbers, so your vote really does count.

A definite YES!

I am a fell walker, cyclist, motor cyclist and have a 4x4 that I do use on the green lanes on the odd occasion, I am also Cumbrian by the grace of God. Go grab your OS Explorer map and read the names of the green lanes that they want to stop motor vehicle use on. Yes that is correct, walna scar ROAD, Garburn ROAD. So they want to shut roads that we pay road tax for and to use. Should we actually reverse the hatred against sensible use of the lanes so they are only for road use? Instead of stopping vehicles using 'ROADS' we could instead stop walkers from walking on them!

Come on people, get a grip, more to worry about in the world than banning vehicles that have used the roads since they were first built.

Regarding the conspiracy about email campaign I think it is the opposite, I think it is the fact it is a local newspaper and the people voting are locals who live here, and not a bunch of people who don't and only use it's facilities now and again.

Does any one know of a poll I can vote on to ban outsiders from coming into our county!!! Ha Ha

Sorry I don't hold up to the view that a handful of elological do gooders should dictate a situation that could be resolved via common sense on all sides.

Furthermore the West Morland Gazzette clearly has an agenda here to force the result that they want. Why else would they leave the poll running for this length of time and lobby enironmental groups behind the scenes?

That is why I will be voting a resounding YES.

I do not have a 4x4, and am no the slightest bit interested in green laning or whatever it is called these days.

I do however enjoy hiking and camping.

I also enjoy what precious rights we have left in this country and hence I am not about to be part of denying those of other people who choose to take a responsible attitude towards national parks.

If you want to be part of eroding rights in this country then go ahead and vote NO. You won't gain a thing and you will be part of the movement to deprive others who you will most likely never encounter.

But then again that's what killjoys do.

If you don't have any pleasure in life, go on. Indulge yourselves and take other peoples' pleasure away. After all I would hate to deprive you of that 'right'.

NO !!!
The Scottish National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG 14) says at para 16 - ' Some of Scotland's remoter mountain and coastal areas possess an elemental quality from which many people derive psychological and spiritual benefits. Such areas are very sensitive to any form of development or intrusive human activity and planning authorities should take great care to safeguard their wild land character.'
The attrition of our last remaining wild land must be halted and reversed! The remaining fragments in England are even smaller and should be correspondingly even more sacred.
I have walked along part of High Street and back through the Gatescarth Pass - too far for me now at 78, but I should like to think that those who follow will continue to enjoy its peace.
And what about the erosion problems created by vehicular use?
The landscape would be ripped apart!

Why should we contribute to the repair of footpaths when these fools in 4X4s are going to do more damage in one month than a dozen walkers do in as many years.
I would tax these things off the road... the only people who really need them is the military, farmers & the rescue services.
Leave the fells to those who want peace and tranquility !!

No - it is simply wrong to sit a a big fat seat and have two tonnes on metal, noise and fumes do the walking for you.

If you want to driver there are roads.

If you want the hills don't be lazy get there without the engine.

YES
Seems strange to me that you should want to ban sensible use of 4x4's on green lanes. Emergency services rely heavily on the very drivers you seek to ban for the use of thier vehicles which the emergency services don't have. If they arn't allowed to use the tracks then it's a long walk for injured people to reach hospital!
I've spent years working on the hills and have seen some pretty dumb things done by so called enviromentalist's. Walkers leaving a trial of rubbish behind them, fires started by carelessness an so on. Biggest damage to some tracks that I witnessed is by tractors using so called low pressure tyres, and these vehicles you won't ban, unless you want to starve.
Also bear in mind that these tracks were originally made for horse and cart, the vehicles of the day, to allow rural communities to move around. That is why the local councils are supposed to maintain so many of them and which they are inept at so doing.
I suggest that you all wake up and work together instead of sqabbling like small childern. There are good and bad on both sides, but with a proper 'green code' there should be room for every one to enjoy the countryside in their own way.

yes i think 4x4 drivers should be able to use these rd theres not many places for 4x4 green laners to go these days but walkers have loads of places people should stop moaning about every little thing in this world GET A LIFE PEOPLE

Absolutely YES.
Of all the rights of way, only about 2 or 3% are open to vehicular use.
It's a very sad state of affairs if we can't share these tiny percentage of routes.
If walkers really do find vehicles so offensive, why not choose one of the 97% of roiutes where they WON'T meet a vehicle?

Green lanes, or Unclassified County Roads to give them their correct title, are by definition roads. May I suggest, if people don't want to encounter motorized vehicles then perhaps they should stick to walking on footpaths, bridleways and restricted byways of which there are plenty.
It would be more appropriate to focus attention on illegal use by vehicles on the latter than to victimize the law abiding who enjoy responsible recreational use of UCR's.
A ban on the vehicular use of these routes would not discourage those who already break the law, my local hills suffer from illegal use of public rights of way, downgrading routes to restricted byways and erection of numerous signs has done little to deter those responsible.
There are many areas you can walk in this country without encountering vehicles, granted many take a little more effort to reach, however I'm sure anyone would agree that this is part of their charm.

I have just read about the walker who ignored instructions to descend into the valley in the Lake District and then has to be rescued by the same people many hours later !

Most walkers go in groups and make a narrow path metres wide as opposed to 4x4 drivers who use the designated tracks.

If we were to hold up a copy of a popular walkers route and a popular 4x4 route side by side, I am confident that the walkers route would stand out like the eyesore it is.

Absolutly YES. I have a love of the wild places and in my younger days many a weekend was spent tramping this type of road with my children. Now in late middle age after a life time of outdoor work arthritus has taken its toll and I cannot walk a mile on smooth tarmac without pain and discomfort, let alone an UCR. My Landrover is the only way I can enjoy and show my grandchildren these wild places now.

Also not all 4x4 drivers are the Devil incarnate, scince I became involved with useing a Landrover to access the countryside I have realised how much the greenlane fraternity do to help the general community through the 4x4 Response organisation. They are also active via the Trailwise organisation in repair and waymarking of these roads throughout the country, in some areas these responsable 4x4 drivers are supplying volunteer drivers and vehicles to local police forces to take officers through these roads where they set up "spot checks" to counter the ilegal activities of the iresponsable few of all types who fail to abide by the rules.

Surely with a little mutual respect there is room for us all, walkers riders and drivers.

i have been green laning and walking mountian biking and always thorughly enjoyed all off these persuits. all this fuss about who should have the rights and people do this and people do that and 4x4s should be banned from the fells because i dont want to smell diesel or hear the noise sensible users dont race around the hills and lanes at the max there doing ten mph in low box on there 4x4s.
when i have been driving the green lanes walkers have always stoped and we have chatted about the lanes and there hobbies in details and always wave and smile as you go past so in my eyes its not all doom and gloom on that front its a small minorty off walkers that want the counrty side to there self in a way there discriminating agaisnt the disabled with the banning off 4x4 acess to the country side they like to get up there and see the sights for them selves and the disabled veichles aint up to much off getting out off the carparks but i would love to learn about the walkers side off things if there willing to learn to and hopefully co exsit.

It is interesting that your contributor suggests the poll has no validity if it does not reflect his/her views.

Could it not simply be the case that the majority of responses came from local people, like myself, who think that the Lake District should be enjoyed by all, not just the walkers, many of whom arrive be car with packed lunches and contribute nothing to the local economy?

Intolerance of off-road drivers by walkers is selfish and not necessary. Stick to footpaths if you don't want to meet a vehicle!

What happens when you need assistance from volunteer groups such as 4x4 Responce, www.4x4response.info who use their vehicles to help people in need! People need to get a life and let those who enjoy the pastime continue. 100% of the rights of way can be used by walkers but less than 3% can be used by road legal 4x4's, would walkers be aloud to walk down the middle of the M6? after all greenlanes are public highways.

The problem is the understanding between the walkers and the 4x4 owners if the understanding was a but better we all would like to enjoy the countryside i'n which ever way was choosen by everyone if we were all the same then things would be boring.
I just think that people like the disabled are being discriminated agaist by the walkers because they can't realy go much further the the carpark or around the villages but a 4x4 can get them up to see what the able bodied people who can walk more then 100 yards unaided. The walkers need to concentrate there efforts on reporting people who missuse the lanes and go off piste instead off closing down lanes because off selfishness and believing that everyone should do as they do variety is the spice off life i say live and let live

Some interesting comments here.

First off I would say that the original article and poll is flawed in that it refers to "Off Road Vehicles" the vehicles using these legal public highways have to be fully road legal so are in fact "On Road Vehicles". They are not going "off road" merely "off tarmac". And before anyone makes comments about Chelsea Tractors, the first time I ever drove over the Walna Scar ROAD it was in a Triumph Dolimite!

I am constantly bewildered by the change in perception of the public just because a road has a different surface to what they have become familiar with i.e. tarmac

And please don't think these roads are somehow "unsurfaced" or "natural" most were deliberately created and have a stoned surface, it's just that in the 1930s and 40s when the vast majority of our roads were covered in tarmac having previously been no different to the Walna Scar ROAD, this and others were not.

The comment about spending money on maintaining UCRs (and Byways) is a bit of a fallacy in the Lakes, whilst many millions (and that is not an exaggeration) are spent on upland footpaths often using helicopters to fly in stone (did I hear someone mention noise and fumes)? Cumbria County Council are claiming they don't have any funds to repair a short washed away section of the Old Coach ROAD at Mardale.

For the record, I am a walker, climber, canoeist, mountain biker, 4x4 driver and trail motorcyclist so hopefully can see the arguments for all parties but I do wish people would get their facts right.

Now go and enjoy the countryside, whatever way you do it, you will always get a friendly greeting from me because I'm pleased to see you doing so.

As a Rep for Green lane association, Rights of way officer for Breckland lrc and a volunteer for rover rescue, I and the group i was leading helped to recover a injured rambler. Never has someone been so pleased to see a group of land rovers turn up on a PUBLIC right of way, like i tell my children Share! the countryside belongs to all of us.

Hear Hear Mr Kelly,

I have been greenlaning for many years and have respect for both horse riders and ramblers who respect my right to legally drive the rights of way which have confirmed vehicular rights.

Green lanes are ROADS albeit unsurfaced and to legally drive these my vehicle has to hold a current MOT, have valid Road Fund License and I have to be fully insured as with any driver on the counties roads.

I also spend a considerable amount of time working closely with the emergency services as a volunteer driver giving my time and diesel free of charge to help during search and rescue situations with both the National 4x4 Response Network as well as Rover Rescue.

We cannot drive on footpaths, or Bridelways and can be prosectuted for doing so and therefore we do not.

Please could all ramlers and horse riders accept that when they ride, or walk on a road that they may encounter vehicular traffic.

Please remember Greenlanes ARE Roads!

Only 2% of the countries rights of way have confirmed vehicular rights therefore the ramblers can walk on 98% of the rights of way - Do they really have the right expect me to stop driving on my 2%?

Interesting that when those opposed to vehicles get into a position of power to issue TRO's, they always trot out the familiar allowed use of Category 3 vehicles for the disabled over these routes.
As a Disabled driver in a Disabled Class Vehicle that happens to be a Land Rover, of the 2% or 3% of the countryside that I can access using my Land Rover, but the minute some plonker creates a TRO I've suddenly got to find another £6000+ for a Category 3 Vehicle with dubious off-tarmac ability, would most likely have to attempt the route with some sort of support team, would either have to do the route twice or plan a circuitous route of perhaps 15 miles to be sure to return to the starting point before the batteries ran out, and have to buy a trailer to tow the sodding thing behind my Disabled Class Vehicle that is perfectly capable of doing the same sodding route without the extra expense.
Banning 4x4's from existing rights of way on roads is a disgrace, and making things so difficult financially and logistically for the Disabled via a stupid TRO with an exemption for Category 3 Vehicles is effectively a ban on the Disabled from accessing the countryside, and for that those that create these TRO's should be handcuffed into a damn electric wheel chair and forced to attempt Walna Scar unsupported, maybe then they will appreciate how bleeding stupid they are.

Trouble is that the people that get into power are the people that are the ones that want the lanes closing. The disabled vehicles are no way up to the Job and i agree if a 4x4 is classed by the dvla then surely it's allowed to gain acess to the lanes that have been tro on them.
There is a lane i'n bingley called alter rock where some quite serious crimes were committed they enforced it i'n which i agree with missuse off lanes by 4x4 owners and farmers should be the ones that get punished i'n my eyes if more people were vigalant agaisnt the ones that are abusing the privilege.
Also i would like to say that over half the lanes that i have driven i havnt seen anyone walking along that lane

It always amazes me how selfish a small minority of the walking community are, and how active they are in banning VEHICLES from ROADS.

I do a fair amount of greenlaning in my Defender, and very rarely meet a disgruntled walker, most will quite often say hello and have a little chat. Same with horse riders, cyclists etc.

I really wish the small minority would stop branding us all as going around tearing up the countryside, because to be honest they couldnt be further from the truth. We are usually enthusiasts who enjoy have a gentle drive in the countryside, helping out emergency services in bad weather etc. as well as leading groups that have repaired a large number of lanes where the damage has not been caused by "greenlaners" but by illegal "off roaders" straying from the path.

And as pointed out by many above 97+% of rights of way have no vehicle rights, so why such uproar about us using 3% of ROADS that we are legally entitled to drive?

I'm so pleased to see a bit of common sense in the majority of comments listed above.

The downgrading of RUPP's some years ago remoed SO many viable legal routes, no wonder more responsible drivers are being spotted on the rmaining 2% of routes.

Motorised users of the countryside are not the enemy... rather it's the abusers, whether they be driving off the legal byways, chucking rubbish or widening a quagmire by walking around it. Lets focus on the abusers, whoever they are and all responsible, legal users stick together.

We were very disappointed having been assured by a Minister that' the countryside should be shared by all' and then removed vehicular rights from RUPPS.Most debates should be solved by sensible agreement between all parties.A driver on ANY ROAD must show due care for pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders etc and travel at an appropriate speed for the road being driven.Only a small minority of walkers are grumpy when a vehicle needs to pass- a civil understanding of the needs of everyone and tolerance towards each other has to be the way forward.We do not hesitate to turn out for RESCUE duties free of charge in our own time and have taken time off work unpaid to train.The 4x4 club has been the opportunity to learn the necessary skills from people from all backgrounds with a shared interest.We would never discriminate against others so would like the same courtesy.

As a disabled person, unable to walk without pain, the only access I would have to the countryside would be in a 4x4. I can no longer go for the country walks I enjoyed when I was younger. The ramblers and backpackers who are so against 4x4's should count themselves lucky to be able continue in their pursuits. I understand that 'mudslingers' and some bikers are causing problems and damage but the banning of all 4x4's is not the answer. I don't own a 4x4, but I was thinking of buying one to allow me to to get back into the countryside and access some of the more remote fishing spots. I'm not sure that I would feel comfortable with owning a 4x4 now with such an 'anti 4x4' attitude. Everyone should be able to enjoy the countryside, for walking riding and using a 4x4.