Scar House Reservoir, North Yorkshire DMMO
Some of the finest green roads in England and Wales do not have origins as ancient horse and cart track, but as post industrial era carriageways. Roads have been built for motor vehicles from the 1830’s onwards and general legislation provided for all roads to be created for motor vehicles from 1861. There are green roads that originate from the steam age, petrol age, nuclear age and digital age
One of England’s youthful green roads, built for motor vehicles, runs over and alongside Scar House reservoir in North Yorkshire. The reservoir was completed in the late 1930’s and various highways were flooded and extinguished. New roads were provided and a section of new road was eventually under-recorded as bridlepath on the definitive map and statement.
Fast forward some decades and North Yorkshire County Council continues work to correct the under-recording of public roads and paths on the definitive map and statement. Having found that a carriageway running to the reservoir had been under-recorded as path, North Yorkshire County Council made an order to change the record from bridlepath to restricted byway. Part of that proposed change affected the new road. TRF made representations to the council, who agreed that the new road was not a private drive and sought to change the order.
May 2023 Update:
An initial success for TRF. Following a public inquiry held by written representations, the inspector found that motorcycle rights exist on the road under-recorded as bridlepath and decided that an order should be made to record it as BOAT. The inspector accepted TRF’s argument and evidence that the green road was constructed for use by motor vehicles.
