Trail riders bring legal action over access to roads near Stonehenge

Wiltshire Council faces a High Court challenge in November over access to roads around Stonehenge by motorcyclists.

The Trail Riders Fellowship has used crowd funding to raise £12,193 to bring the case.

It said it wanted to send “a powerful message to Wiltshire Council that the public will not lightly relinquish their roads or acquiesce in the face of schemes to monopolise the view of Stonehenge”.

The Fellowship argues that the council has prohibited driving and motorcycling on “the minor roads which facilitate free and convenient viewing of the stones”. 

Two public enquires considered the matter and recommended that motor vehicle access should not be completely prohibited, “espescially for motorcyclists that were found to cause little to no adverse impact on the roads and surrounding area”, the Fellowship said.

It said the roads are not surfaced in tarmac and were constructed to safely and sustainably accommodate motor vehicle traffic.

“The ban has been imposed on the pretence of conducting an experiment,” the group said.

“The process for imposing the ban excluded the council’s own advisory body on such matters - the Wiltshire Countryside Access Forum - as well as organisations representing the public's interests in accessing the roads and enjoying a view of the Stones.

Adrian Pay of New Square Chambers and Margaret Stevenson of Brain Chase Coles are acting for the Fellowship with the support of 218 Strand Chambers.

Wiltshire did not respond to a request for comment.

Mark Smulian