It is certainly true that the forest needs some urgent maintenance.

What were once beautiful paths and green routes are now strips of mud, dangerous to people on foot.

But this damage has not been caused by cars, it has been caused by contractors' plant, horses and mountain bikes.

The minority of forest users have caused problems for the majority, the evidence is there for everyone to see.

In a fair world, those who cause the damage should pay for its repair, not other people.

Contractors should reinstate any roads or paths they damage. If they fail to do so, a sum of money should be withheld from their payment.

Horse riders and mountain bikers should be required to display a permit when they are riding in the forest. A condition on the permit should state that they may ride only on hard surfaced roads, roads which cannot be damaged by hooves and wheels. A breach of the condition should lead to withdrawal of both the permit and the privilege of riding in the forest.

Charging motorists to park at the forest will simply deter them from visiting the place while doing nothing to prevent the damage which is ruining a beautiful recreational amenity.

R A EVANS

Beech View Road,

Kingsley.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.