The Tennyson Trail is to become a permanent no-go zone for vehicles.  They will be banned from the entire length of the trail, probably by the end of next month.

Parish councils, the AONB Partnership, Freshwater Community Initiative, the National Trust and landowners have pledged support following incidents on the route, including damage to ancient burial mounds and sheep killings by off-roaders at Rowridge Farm last Christmas.

The IW Council is taking action to make the Traffic Regulation Order permanent after a six-month consultation revealed most people were in favour of closing it to all traffic.  Although the consultation analysis revealed the police originally opposed the order, on the grounds there had been no recorded collisions on the route, Chief Supt Stephanie Morgan has been in talks with the council about its implementation.

An IW Council spokesman said the council responded to complaints about public safety by imposing a temporary ban on motor vehicles on a section of the trail in January.  It then consulted about a permanent ban on the whole trail, as there were wider concerns about safety and how vehicles were causing environmental damage while also spoiling the enjoyment of the countryside for other users.

The council is now convinced making the ban on vehicles permanent as soon as possible is important to public safety and will help solve some of the criminal and anti-social behaviour on the Tennyson Trail.

Farmer Sue Brownrigg, whose land was damaged and sheep killed during in the Christmas incidents, said a total ban was the best result she could have wished for. "It is fair to say the ban would actually ease how we feel about what happened at our farm last Christmas because it will stop something much worse from happening. "We were getting to the stage where there were more vehicles using the trail than ever and if it carried on, it would become a huge problem for everyone."

But Steve Darch, a founder member of the IW 4x4 Club, said: "It is regrettable that it has had to come to this and it is a shame to lose an ancient highway which has been open to all for so long. Officers will have to police the route now but the hooligans will always find a way of getting through."

The council is now drawing up a Traffic Regulation Order, which will be advertised for a 28-day period before it is imposed, probably in about six weeks' time.

IW Council leader Andy Sutton said he had received hundreds of letters from people all over the country who were horrified about incidents on the trail. "We need to take action and quickly," he said. "There are many responsible 4x4 drivers and if there are some who would like to access the trail for marshalled events during the year, then I'm sure we can facilitate that, so everyone can enjoy the beauty.  "There are also coastal erosion issues and people at the golf club who have had their windows broken."

The owner of an off-road taxi business has criticised plans to make the Tennyson Trail a no-go area for vehicles. Wild Horses proprietor Ann Faber said a ban on vehicles using the trail would mean many disabled and elderly people would not be able to visit the beauty spot. "I started the business as a taxi service that could go to places an ordinary taxi cannot and I wanted to show people how beautiful the West Wight is. This year I did a lot of advertising to do with off-road sightseeing. "I regularly take people up there who cannot walk along the trail. I think it is disgraceful to take that opportunity away from people," said Mrs Faber, who established her business three years ago.

The IW Council's decision to introduce a vehicle ban along the trail - part of an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) - came after concerns were raised about damage to ancient burial mounds, safety and an incident at Christmas when sheep were killed by off-roaders. The decision was backed by several other organisations, including the AONB Partnership, the National Trust and Freshwater Community Initiative.

Mrs Faber said the council could have considered a system with access to restricted vehicles licensed by the council. "People are saying it is eroding the landscape but I am up there a couple of times a day and the gulleys that are created are more of a weather problem," she said. "This will ruin 50 per cent of my business," she added.

A CONTROVERSIAL move could mean The Tennyson Trail being open to some vehicles in defiance of a total ban imposed after deliberate attacks on sheep grazing there.

A permit system could be introduced to allow vehicle owners to drive along the route, which is an area of outstanding natural beauty and site of specific scientific interest.

The IW Council had planned to introduce a total ban on vehicles using the trail earlier this year following fears about livestock and damage to habitats.

On Christmas Eve, 2005, sheep grazing on the trail were killed by an off-road vehicle in an apparently deliberate attack in which some animals were repeatedly run over.

Director for environment and neighbourhoods Stuart Love told the council’s scrutiny committee the original report had been revised to take into account views of the public, including some who were concerned restricting vehicle access would prevent disabled people from using the trail.

He said the permits could be issued in a similar way to parking permits and would be enforced with the help of the police.
“The police will not be able to enforce it full time. But they are up there at different times for other reasons,” said Mr Love.
Cllr Diana Tuson questioned the ability of the police to enforce the permits effectively.
“They are already stretched. How can they police this?” she said.

Scrutiny chairman Cllr Geoff Lumley added: “One of the reasons we considered calling in this matter before was because the police were not happy they could enforce it.”

Cllr Tim Hunter-Henderson, cabinet member for transport and the environment, said “We need to ensure people who drive recklessly would not be allowed to use the road. If we issue permits, only responsible people would apply for them.”
However, Cllr Bill Burt called for a total ban.

“If you had seen those sheep that were run over by vehicles you would never let anyone go up there in a vehicle,” he said.
Cllr Vanessa Churchman added: “There are points on the trail for disabled people to approach from a different direction. It is like saying Kew Gardens is lovely, why can’t we drive our cars there? The car is not king.”

Perhaps if enough individuals contact the local authority, then it might result in a TRO (traffic regulation order) being put in place to restore the Tennyson Trail back to how it used to be.

Please contact Alex Russell to inform him of any experiences that you may have encountered and/or any objections you may have to keep this route open to all traffic.