A motorsport club chairman has hit back at an MHK’s claim that motorised vehicles are to blame for green lane erosion.

Richard Crane, chairman of 4x4 Club Isle of Man, told the Courier it is heavy rainfall that is the main cause of erosion to the upland tracks, which many clubs help to maintain.

Garff MHK Daphne Caine raised the issue during a House of Keys debate this week.

She claimed that off-road vehicles are damaging the island’s hills and could even be creating a flood risk.

Mr Crane, who has been involved in the club since 1994 and has more than 50 years of experience using the tracks, disagrees.

He said: ’The water on the tracks is what erodes them. It’s always happened and will continue to happen.’

’We have maintenance in the [club’s] programme to minimise the water that gets onto the tracks.

’It’s a question of identifying the historic tracks of where the water is coming from and improving this by seeing whether the water can be turned off the track.’

Green lanes are classed as highways and are open to vehicles and pedestrians.

In the Keys Mrs Caine shared residents’ concerns about a lot of motorcycle use on lanes between Agneash and the Mines Trail, the Glen Mona track up to the hills and above Laxey.

She said: ’There are significant amounts of off-road motorcyclists every single weekend, I am told from residents, revving up outside their houses from 8am, all day, all weekends, causing significant nuisance to particular households.

’They are very concerned that these constant motorcyclists using particular tracks when the ground is soft following a lot of rainfall, are causing deep ruts that are then acting as a conduit for a huge amount of rainwater to run off the hills, significantly increasing the amount of run-off that is then coming down into Laxey and exacerbating the storm floods we had.’

She suggested some of the lanes should be closed to mo

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torbikes to protect the environment.

But Mr Crane, who also works part-time for the Department of Infrastructure, said there is ’no correlation’ between the Laxey flooding and motorised vehicles using green lanes in the area.

’I know both tracks very well and there’s never been any issues.

’The track between Agneash and the Mines Trail is as old as mining in Laxey, it’s been used that long.’

He added that the two green lanes raised in the House of Keys were in the area subject to a huge amount of rainfall.

Banning motor vehicles from using the green lanes would impact the island’s economy, he said.

The club hosts a number of visitors who are taken around different green lanes and given what Mr Crane calls ’the Isle of Man experience’.

’People stay in a hotel and entertain themselves eating out and buying fuel here. They come over on the Steam Packet - the income they bring to the island is quite considerable,’ he said.

’Some of them bring their family in an ordinary car and go around the island because they want to come back again.’

Mr Crane said green lanes would get overgrown if not used, which would not only limit walkers but cost taxpayers money as maintenance would still be needed.

Policy

He added that people may continue their motorsport, despite the ban.

’There’s always a reason for whatever brought on erosion. If that’s reported it can and will be addressed,’ he continued. The onus is on people to report problems on green lanes, rather than vent them on social media.’

Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer told the Keys there were no plans to change the policy that allows vehicles onto green lanes.

Mr Harmer said the Green Lane User Group would be a forum for discussing maintenance and instructions and many volunteers helped to upkeep the lanes.

’The green lanes are public highways and are there for the enjoyment of all residents of the island, as well as visitors, which bring in much-needed revenue,’ Mr Harmer said.

Mrs Caine was supported by Bill Shimmins (Middle), who said there were ’very deep, severe ruts’ created by off-road motorbikes on a number of hill tracks.

Martyn Perkins (Garff) suggested a regime that meant UK visitors would require a further permit to use the lanes.

The Minister said: ’We will continue to review the state of the green lanes. I will take all of the comments on board. We will look to maintain and make sure those areas are adequate for use.’

He added: ’Permitting vehicles to some of these upland areas has been part of the Manx way of life for generations and the department’s partnership with the GLUG is a good example of managing their use of the environment and our impact on it.

’From a biosphere perspective there is an interest in connecting people with nature and encouraging them to get out and about and enjoy our island in a respectful and legal manner.’

There were ’no current plans’ to impose further restrictions.

Mrs Caine said: ’Nobody wants to stop the Manx way of life and a hobby that people have enjoyed for generations.

’I think the issue that we are experiencing across Garff is the much-increased frequency and large numbers of people heading off into the hill lands.’

A Green Lane User Group was formed in 2000 to deal with complaints about the tracks with many volunteers helping to upkeep the lanes.