A total of 32 permits have been issued since 2015 to allow 4x4 vehicles to travel on greenway roads.

The permits cover all of the island’s green lanes that come under the Greenway Roads Order 1994.

Garff MHK Daphne Caine had asked the Minister for Infrastructure Ray Harmer to provide the details for the number of permits issued broken down by year.

Mr Harmer revealed that in 2015 there were eight permits issued; nine in 2016, eight in 2017, and five in 2018. So far this year, two have been issued.

The permits are for tracks at Surby, Slieau Whallian, Foxdale, Cornelly Baldwin, Mountains of Michael, Upper Ballaugh Glen, Sulby, Maughold Mountain Road and Narradale. However, Narradale Bog on the Sky Hill track, and the Slieau Dhoo link track are not included as they’re are both now closed to motorised vehicles permanently.

This is not the first time that Mrs Caine has raised the issue of greenways.

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

In a previous Keys sitting, 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.’

However, 4x4 Club Isle of Man members have denied this was the case.