The BBC recently reported on three men having been convicted after videos of them using off-road vehicles to cause “irreversible” harm to an SSSI were posted to TikTok. They were fined more than £2,000 each and disqualified from driving for two months.
It’s good to see the Police taking to task those who indulge in irresponsible and illegal behaviour. Here is a link to the BBC News item.
This selfish and thoughtless behaviour not only damages the environment and spoils enjoyment of the countryside for everyone else, it frequently plays into the hands those who would like to see all motoring activity in the countryside curtailed.
Anyone planning to venture off the tarmac in their vehicle should note that the Police have been given strengthened powers to seize any vehicle they believe is being driven illegally, carelessly and inconsiderately and is causing, or is likely to cause, alarm, distress or annoyance to members of the public. The Police already had powers to seize the vehicle, but now they can do so without having to first issue a warning.
As LARA‘s Green Road Code points out, wherever you go, you should behave considerately and responsibly and you should always be sure that you have the legal right to be there. If there is any room for doubt, it would help to have the evidence to hand, such as through Trailwise 2 (TW2), which is the Green Lane Association (GLASS) online mapping facility that can be accessed through a smartphone while out and about.
For those wanting chapter and verse on this new Police power, it was introduced by an amendment to section 59 of the the Police Reform Act 2002. The amendment being the removal of subsections (4) and (5) from the 2002 Act, which was effected by the Crime and Policing Act 2026.
