Hi folks,
At the Grassington LARA meeting we were all asked to call DEFRA and get copies of the "making the best of Byways" and the associated consultation document PB8923. However - when you call Defra they will gladly post out to you the PB8923 document, but they don`t even recognise the other document exists!
After much arguing and hassle they finally admitted that they do have a document by that name but it is out of print and if you want a copy you`ll need "to do a google search and pull the relevant bits off the web".
So Nick C's wife kicked off stating that a government produced document must be made available in hard copy to the public. Finally they put her through to the rights of way office who again stated this document doesn`t exist. But miraculously they found a copy and said it was out of print and they won`t be getting any in again. End result - Defra say it doesn`t exist, but they found a copy of this none existant document and are sending her out a photocopy!
Posted this on a few forums and several people have no tried calling only to be told it doesn`t exist as well. Now hows that for governmental efficiency. They write a document then open it up for public consultation only to then say it doesn`t exist when you want a copy to consult!
Please can everyone call Defra on 08459 335577 and ask to speak to the rights of way office and demand a copy of both of the documents. Eventually they decided that they would post out a copy. A few other people have phoned, and now they seem to expect our calls and quite happily will post you out one.
DO NOT LET them fob you off, in the consultation doc it says the following (copy and pasted directly from it)
Management
8.1 Highway authorities may also use a number of other means to manage the use of mechanically propelled vehicles (and other vehicles and other users) so that they do not cause undue interference with other users and land managers. The Departmental publication Making the Best of Byways, published in 1997, provides advice on managing the different sorts of traffic on byways and advocates management measures based on co-operation and agreement. Officials have been working on an updated and revised edition of Making the Best of Byways to reflect the latest legislation and developments in management methods. Comments received to this paper and the Government research project looking at the level and impact of legal use of vehicles on byways open to all traffic will both help to inform the final draft. Proposal 2 We invite views on the revision of the advice and guidance on managing the different sorts of traffic on vehicular rights of way in the publication Making the Best of Byways (1997). We will also publish the results of the research project on the use of byways open to all traffic, which will be used to inform the revision of Making the Best of Byways.So it even states defra created this mysterious disappearing document in their consultation paper!!!
sorry for the long post - but this is important. We should all be getting copies of this document and giving feedback or we`ll lose our lanes for good!
Hadyn.