Lum

http://forums.somethingawful.com/sho...readid=1550007
(those of you that don't have accounts on SA will have to scroll down past the nag screen to read the thread)

pflowers

Yet another reason not to vote for them tommorrow, infact who are the labour voters ( pslewis apart ) ? Everybody I speak to says they would not vote for them even if they were the only party on earth.


By the way I am a keen motocrosser so this matters to me !

Come on Howard !!

Lum

Please spread this to any motocross forums you may be on, or any other forums for that matter. Need to get the word out before tomorrow.

pflowers

Will do

corradoboy

Signed. For me and war lass !

Lum

Online petitions are a pointless waste of time. The real petition is tomorrow.

GC8

Surely this bollocks is down to the EEC; which doesnt seem to be on anyones agenda. We pay more than anyone else; way more than France and Germany, and the b*stards are trying to revoke our rebate which will mean that the EU is virtually funded by our one small country. Makes you think doesnt it?

Iain Young

True. But it's the conservatives that want to shut Castle Coombe circuit. They're no better than Labour imo

unclebuck

The Green Nutters (who have the ear of New Labour ministers and the DofT) want to ban ALL FORMS OF OFF ROAD MOTORSPORT This has been known for some time.

VOTE WISELY - it is possibly the *last chance* to prevent this happening.

(Forgot to mention - mountain biking comes next)

ChrisB

That would seem extreme given the vast piles of cash currently being thrown around the countryside to create new MTB centres and routes.

hedgehog

http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthread.php?t=419371

Mick

iTrader: (1)

Try UKIP - http://www.ukip.org/



LOL

Mick

unclebuck

They can happily wipe out hundreds of years of tradition (hunting) and illegally invade sovreign nations (Iraq) - you don't seriously believe a few piffling sign posts and coffee shops will stop them do you?

You have to understand the nature of these sorts of people. They *want* to hurt us. They want to wipe out our lifestyles and they cannot be reasoned with.

topdog

The new farm subsidy scheme is called the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) and replaced the Common Agricultural Policy. The new scheme pays farmers for the land they own and not what they produce.

The European Directive on agricultural subsidises does not prohibit motorsports on land eligible for SPS. However, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in the UK has taken the decision, without consultation, to stop these payments if agricultural land is used, even temporarily, for any form of motorsport. This action by one division of DEFRA comes at a time when another division within DEFRA has been calling for land to be made available for off road motorsport activity to curb illegal off road use.

Motorcycle sports that will be particularly impacted are trials, grass track, the majority of enduros and motocross as they become financially untenable and homeless. Other aspects of motorsport to be effected will include motorcycle practice tracks, quad bike tracks and trekking, off road car events and motorised aspects of corporate entertainment.

DEFRA is expected to argue that they have not 'banned' anything, as motorsports can still continue as long as farmers do not claim a subsidy for the land used (often only once a year). However the income from motorsport is usually a fraction of that available from subsidies, so the farmer has no choice but to cease allowing his land to be used for motorsport. This is a further blow to the agricultural community at a time when DEFRA policy is supposed to encourage income diversification and an effective administrative ban through the back door.

Craig Carey-Clinch MCI's Director of Public Affairs said, "It would appear that DEFRA is a Department that is out of control, with one division calling for more land to be made available for motorsport and another withdrawing farming subsidies if the motorsport use is permitted even for a single day a year.

"It is believed that over 40% of car competitions will be eliminated and an even bigger proportion of motorcycle events. The solution is simple: all DEFRA needs to do is to revise its Guidelines and to continue subsidies for land that is only temporarily used for motorsport purposes. This is entirely compatible with the EU Directive on the issue. We want this rule repealed forthwith and for DEFRA ministers in the post General Election Government to work much more closely and sympathetically with the motorcycle and motor sports community"

The MCI is calling upon riders, both urban and rural to protest to Parliamentary Candidates. Letter writing, petitions and meetings can help to lobby on this important issue, at this crucial time in the run up to the election.

GC8

That is an excellent post; both knowledgable and informative. Unfortunately this thread is about political dogma, so please desist.

Labour b*stards! Btw.

DJ73

saw this in MCN trying to ban ALL form's of off-road motorcycling , F**king tw*t's , trying to blackmail land owner's that they'll lose there i think £120.00 a acre subsidise (?) if they hire out to motorcycle racing , but the land we need for racing is not ideal for the farmer for grazing or growing ,so out of 400 or 4000 acre's there might be only a small precentage that might be alright for racing but not all of it ? what's wrong with the land owner making a bit of extra cash just for hiring his land for a day ?

r32

I think its already taking effect, the first round of the national Trials championship had to be cancelled. So its not small events.

Typical of this Government I'm afraid, different departments can do what they like. Obviously some one in this department doesnt like motorsport.....

OllyK

To call Iraq a "sovereign" state is pushing it a bit! You also said "nations" which others have been invaded without UN backing? I'm not suggesting NL are right, just checking the facts.

*Jen*

There will be a on line letter for people to download/change and sent off to their MP's on the Shire Land Rover Club Website soon. I'll post again when it's all organised tomorrow

Chrisgr31

Surely the solution is for the motorcycle racers to pay the farmer more than £120 an acre to use his land? Presumably only an acre or two are required for use.

ChrisB

Let's have some links them UB or is all this hearsay and rumour?

the moose

Of course it's hearsay and rumour, but it doesn't stop the trolls from peddling their paranoid ideas.

OllyK

And a few others:
http://icnorthwales.icnetwork.co.uk/...name_page.html

http://www.bikersweb.co.uk/news/2005...tor_Sports.htm

http://www.laragb.org/sps-ff.html

http://www.bmca.org.uk/DEFRA.html

http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/capreform/pubs/

ChrisB

Sorry for any confusion Olly - my comment was specifically in response to UB's statement that MTBing will be up for banning next.

OllyK

Ahhh - now that may be a little harder to show

OllyK

But it seems they are trying in Montgomery County in the USA and a google shows a few concerns in New Zealand.

The National Trust seem to be getting ahead on this and have banned mountain biking on some of their land.

It seems there are environmental concerns - errosion plus potential collision dangers with walkers. Mind you, there are errosion concerns with walkers as well!

unclebuck

Just to clarify. That is *my* projection. Based on two things.

Firstly that the Green Nutters, after wiping out off road motorised activities, will be seeking to shutdown the next area of (offensive) off road activity - mountain biking!!

Secondly I have evidence that the prejudice already exists and indeed that unofficially an anti mountain biker policy is already being put into action by the government agencies where I ride. They have recently destroyed all the jumps and other wooden ramps bridges and assorted structures that the bikers had built with chainsaws. No warning, consultation or compromise. They just went in one day and smashed everything to a pulp. That’s the way it will soon go nationwide I predict. No doubt this will be justified on the grounds of 'safety' as always.

ChrisB

Cheers Olly.

I did a study on footpath erosion around The Three Peaks of Yorkshire about 10 years ago. Some of the sections up Pen-y-ghent were very messy then and AFAIK, it's not a big biking route by any means.

My scepticism comes from the development of centres in Wales and Scotland funded by Government and EU money. Places like Nant-yr-Arian and Glentress make very specific efforts to keep walkers and MTBers apart. At Nant, when a bike route crosses a walk route there's warning signs all round and wooden barriers to slow down bikers as well to make walkers look.

OllyK

I think an outright ban is unlikely, but wouldn't be surprised if dedicated MB routes are defined, and you may only MB at those locations.

ChrisB

I'm aware of that happening on some Forestry Commission land somewhere recently. I forget the website I read it on but the FC had dismantled some 'features' on safety grounds. Whilst I share your annoyance of the safety card being used, I can also understand the FCs position given the no-win, no-fee society we live in today.