Author Topic: Access to the remote areas of North Dartmoor  (Read 4978 times)

Jones family

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Access to the remote areas of North Dartmoor
« on: 18:41:12, 21/01/09 »
On-Line petition against the closure of the Okehampton Loop Road.

There has been a report in an Okehampton newspaper to say that the Duchy of Cornwall with the backing of the National Park intend closing the Ring Road that goes out to OP15 to members of the public in vehicles, from OP 22 on the East side and the gate at Row Tor on the western side. This will mean that if you want to go to Cranmere Pool you will have to walk from Op22 or Row Tor car park. The Army vehicles, plus farmers and Range Wardens will still be able to use it.

Well it will be a very sad day indeed if that gets pushed through. Its a case of double standards to let the army vehicles use it and think they should be banned. Seems the DNPA won't be satisfied until the general public are banned from the moors completely. There are a lot of elderly folk, even non letterboxers, who use the road to get out to OP 15 to enjoy the views and feel better for it. Its not as if the road is overrun with vehicles, we all know its the army vehicles that are digging it up.

The road is also an important safety link to the inner moor especially for Ten Tors training. It saves time and possibly lives by allowing trainers to reach any emergency quickly. If the road closes then there will be people taking on longer walks to get to the remote parts of the moor and as an unfortunate consequence of that there may well be an increase in rescues required. It would be a terrible tragedy if lives are lost because walkers attempt a journey that is too far for their ability purely because they couldn’t travel out on the ring road.

Dartmoor is supposed to be a National Park and one of the its biggest appeals is the open access and this effectively closes the remote areas of North Dartmoor to many. Dartmoor is meant to be enjoyed by everyone, how can the less able get to see this part of the moor if the road is closed.

If you feel the same, that this proposed closure should not go ahead, please sign the on-line petition at:-

http://www.petitiononline.com/ringroad/petition.html [nofollow]

Please help us to keep Dartmoor freely available to all.

droseman

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Re: Access to the remote areas of North Dartmoor
« Reply #1 on: 17:47:58, 22/01/09 »

The road is also an important safety link to the inner moor especially for Ten Tors training. It saves time and possibly lives by allowing trainers to reach any emergency quickly. If the road closes then there will be people taking on longer walks to get to the remote parts of the moor and as an unfortunate consequence of that there may well be an increase in rescues required. It would be a terrible tragedy if lives are lost because walkers attempt a journey that is too far for their ability purely because they couldn’t travel out on the ring road.


I can't really see ten tors staff from being excluded - it's carried out with the full support of the army and the DNPA.  I do agree however, that this route makes it much easier to gain access to the routes used by the ten tors walkers

Has a reason been given for this - the old favourite erosion is probably being used if I had to take a guess...  IIRC however that the road up to OP15 is a hard track with the drainage culverts of the type you see going up to Great Mis Tor or along the South Hessary track, so that shouldn't really hold water.

I will sign the petition, since it flies in the face of the area being a National Park, as you correctly mentioned.

Dave

Jones family

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Re: Access to the remote areas of North Dartmoor
« Reply #2 on: 17:54:46, 22/01/09 »
Dave, the quote from the proposal is

"The deteriation of the road means several sections are no longer suitable for ordinary cars and this poses ‘a significant risk to public safety’ said a report by the DNPA’s director of park management.
The DNPA’s management plan also identifies the use of military roads, green lanes and the open moor by motorised vehicles as ‘aspects that can affect tranquility and dark night skies’. "

The road will remain open to the Army and Quad bikes though.

droseman

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Re: Access to the remote areas of North Dartmoor
« Reply #3 on: 18:54:55, 22/01/09 »
I really should read it all first,  ::)

Well they must be the only ones in the country trying to protect the dark skies.... I am an astronomer too, and a single road in the middle of dartmoor is not going to make much difference - switching off some lights after midnight in towns and cities would.

Its un-thought out madness

Dave

Jones family

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Re: Access to the remote areas of North Dartmoor
« Reply #4 on: 22:56:11, 29/01/09 »
Her is a link to an article in the Okehampton Times. for anyone interested in this road. O0

www.okehampton-today.co.uk/tn/news.cfm?id=3653&searchword=loop%20road
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