Rocky ride for off-roaders

Nov 1 2007 by Gary Marsh, Cynon Valley Leader

EVERY week on these pages you show a ‘Picture of the Week’ of our countryside.

And from a distance, I admit they all look great.

But please take a look at my photograph from Llanwynno Forestry, which many people will never see.

I believe all of this damage has been done by the Forestry Commission and local council to stop off-road vehicles.

But, in my opinion, they have caused more damage than the ‘off-roaders.’

They have blocked footpaths off with rocks and trees and dug ditches about two feet deep.

Is this legal, I ask myself? What if someone falls down these trenches?

If the council digs a hole in Aberdare town centre they put barriers around it.

So what is the difference?

In last week’s Leader there was a report under the headline ‘Concern For Young Riders.’

The article quoted someone as saying “we have to cater for horse riders.”

But what about off-road vehicles? This is a sport as well as football, rugby, skateboarding, fishing and mountain bike riding.

In the Cynon Valley there are football fields, rugby fields, skateboard parks and a mountain bike track in Mountain Ash.

But for off-road vehicles, what have we got? Off-road biking is a sport and I feel it should be catered for.

People do not buy bikes to annoy people, because to spend £4,000 on a bike to annoy people would be far too expensive.

I believe it is the Forestry Commission and Rhondda Cynon Taf Council that have spoilt our countryside – not off-road vehicles.

G Smith

Tudor Terrace

Gadlys