Moss Road action plan

The background

This moorland route across Totley Moor is a highly sensitive environment that has been severely damaged by the illegal use of motor vehicles.

Totley Moor is in a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and part of the wider Eastern Peak District Moors SSSI. It is also part of the South Pennines Special Protection Area.

The route has a section in Derbyshire and another in Sheffield. The Sheffield side is a public byway meaning that motor vehicles are able to use it.

The Derbyshire section is a public bridleway, so should only be used by walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Motor vehicles are not allowed on this section.

Damage

Considerable damage has been caused to the bridleway and, more importantly, the surrounding moorland over recent years.

The problem has been made worse by illegal users trying to avoid damaged sections of the bridleway and driving, or riding, their vehicles over the moorland.

Public safety

We are also concerned about the risk to public safety being caused by unauthorised vehicles using this route.

So what's being done to protect the countryside at Totley Moor?

The Peak District National Park Authority is working with Derbyshire County Council, Sheffield City Council and the police to deliver an action plan to protect the site. This involves a number of measures designed to stop illegal use and educate motor vehicle users about their responsibilities.

Progress on the action plan will be reported to the Local Access Forum.

Our efforts will focus on four areas:

1. Policing the site to prevent illegal use

This work will take several forms.

Traffic Regulation Order

Derbyshire County Council has made a permanent Traffic Regulation Order banning the use of the Derbyshire section of the route by vehicles.

Logging machines and on-site inspections

We have installed logging machines on Moss Road to provide information to the police about when the route is being used illegally.  

This is being backed up by regular enforcement visits by police officers using intelligence led data. Our rangers will also regularly patrol the site to detect illegal use.

2. Installing measures to deter or prevent illegal use of the land by motor vehicles

Warning signs

To avoid confusion about the legal status of the route signs are being put up to make it clear it is illegal for motor vehicles to use the land.

Barriers to restrict unauthorised access

At the eastern end of the route the existing gateway has been replaced with a drystone wall with a bridlegate that allows access for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. A drystone wall next to the gateway has also been rebuilt to stop vehicles demolishing that as an alternative way on to the moorland.

A restricted width gate with a removable metal post has also been installed at the western end of the route for the same reasons.

Both these barriers can be removed if necessary. The barriers are unable to stop motorbikes due to the need to allow access for horse riders. However, we will continue to take enforcement action to prevent use of the land by motorbike riders.

We will continue to monitor the site to see if any further barriers need to be installed to prevent illegal use of the land.

3. Education through work with motor vehicle user groups

We are regularly meeting with representatives of motor vehicle groups to discuss the best way of making drivers and riders aware that vehicle use is not allowed on the Derbyshire section of the Totley Moor route.

Rangers and police officers are also educating motor vehicle users as they stop them in the countryside.

4. Restoring the moorland and bridleway

Now that physical barriers are in place to prevent illegal use of the route by motor vehicles we have started work to restore the damaged moorland and bridleway. This will protect this sensitive environment for future generations.

Signs will be put up to warn the public at the various stages of this work.

The road to success

So far evidence shows that work on Moss Road has been successful in reducing illegal use of the bridleway.

• Motorbike use is down by two-thirds
• Use by 4x4 vehicles has stopped

More work to improve the condition of the surface is planned by Derbyshire County Council to enable the bridleway to be used for its intended purpose.

The police through Operation Blackbrook will continue to visit the area to monitor use of the bridleway.