“Consultation regarding the proposed introduction of a seasonal Traffic Regulation Order on Barnham Byways 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8, Elveden Byway 1, Icklingham Byways 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, West Stow Byway 6, and Wordwell Byway 5 under Section 1 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
 

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Consultation closes 24th December 2025
barnham pc website /clerk/291125

Extract from Consultation received by Barnham Parish Council, 26th November 2025

"There have been recurrent problems with serious rutting and surface damage on this byway network and Suffolk County Council has had to carry out significant repairs and implement closures on safety grounds on most of the affected byways over the last 10 years. To date, in total these works have cost over £45,000.

The damage has mainly been caused by groups of individuals meeting for the purposes of “off roading” and driving motor vehicles on these unsurfaced routes in wet conditions. This mostly takes place in the winter months and results in significant surface damage (including ruts of up to 1 metre in depth) necessitating the closures and repair work.

In 2020, 2021 and 2023 it has been necessary to close these byways to all users on safety grounds and to enable repairs to be carried out. Barnham Byways 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8, Elveden Byway 1,Icklingham Byways 6, 7, 8 and 11, West Stow Byway 6, and Wordwell Byway 5 are currently temporarily closed to all users until February 2027. Despite police involvement, liaison with user groups, and appeals to the public for voluntary restraint in using the routes, the surface damage has been a recurrent problem. If no action is taken it is likely that there will be a need for significant further repairs and potential closures to all users on safety grounds in future years.

Suffolk County Council is therefore considering making a permanent Seasonal Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to prohibit motor vehicles from using the routes shown with red dotted lines on the attached map, between 31 October and 30 April each year.

The prohibition will be enforced using lockable barriers, with exemptions for landowners (and their tenants, lessees etc) and emergency vehicles.

The legal grounds for the proposed seasonal TRO are defined in Section 1 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (RTRA 1984) as follows:

  • 1. for avoiding danger to persons or other traffic using the road, or for preventing the likelihood of such danger arising;
  • 1. for preventing damage to the road;for facilitating the passage on any road or any other road of any class of traffic (including
  • pedestrians); and
  • 1. for preventing use of the road by vehicular traffic of a kind which, or its use by vehicular traffic in a manner which, is unsuitable having regard to the existing character of the road.

The proposed Seasonal TRO is considered to be the least restrictive option available to Suffolk County Council to prevent (or significantly reduce) the amount of vehicular damage currently occurring during the winter months when the byways are particularly vulnerable to surface damage and are therefore unable to sustain frequent or unsuitable use by motor vehicles. The byways should then be able to remain open to pedestrians, cyclists and equestrian users, rather than potentially being closed to all users on safety grounds.” End of extract

 

Definitive Map Officer

Rights of Way & Access Team, Suffolk County Council, Phoenix House, 3 Goddard Road, Ipswich,

IP3 0NX

Telephone: 01473 264769

Discover Suffolk: www.discoversuffolk.org.uk

Suffolk County Council: www.suffolk.gov.uk