The article below appeared (in slightly different forms in the Abergavenny Chronicle and Valley Views)

Most of us have been annoyed by off–road motor vehicles, particularly bikes, in the Grwyne Fawr for some time. However a new initiative between the residents and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) will hopefully go some way to deterring and informing riders, especially those who hop from side to side of the valley via the tarmacked road.

Last year Grwyne Fawr residents set up a Community Interest Company (CIC) that has enabled us to bid for grant funding for projects. At the end of 2015 the CIC found itself successful in obtaining a grant of £10,000 from Welsh Government to improve the barriers on the forest roads and put up new signage indicating that motorised vehicles are prohibited in the forest and on the common land.

Ian Mabberley, one of the directors of the CIC, said “the problem has been around for some time. We have worked with the Park and Police in the past which has had a short term effect due to lack of resources to maintain the vigils, but the bikes eventually return. I don’t think that the bikers realise that they are causing so much damage to the environment, to the enjoyment of walkers and cyclists and to the quality of life of the residents. In fact four motor bikes nearly ended up in our garden a few weeks ago, way off any legal routes.”

“i didn’t know” isn’t going to be an alibi any longer!

“We have beefed up the existing barriers with an extra beam, installed horse step-overs and, off the Car Parks, disabled access kissing gates and fenced and are installing block stones alongside. New signs indicating that motorised vehicles are prohibited in the forest and that vehicles could be seized and crushed, will also inform the riders that they are not allowed to be there. We have also purchased some surveillance cameras to allow us to spot illegal use. This won’t, of course, affect those with legitimate access rights to the forest. The new barriers should make it almost impossible for off-roaders to link sections of the forest roads by hopping on and off of the valley road. This allied to the signage indicating that their bikes could be seized and crushed may help to deter them longer term.”

Michael Cresswell, Land Management Officer for NRW, who manages the forest said: “It has been fantastic working alongside the Grwyne Fawr Community Interest Company to reduce the effects of this illegal activity in Mynydd Du forest. Illegal off road trespass is a problem throughout Wales, with Mynydd Du being a particular ‘hot spot’ in my area. This activity damages the natural environment, impacts on legitimate users’ enjoyment and causes financial implications for the organisation. I really appreciate the ongoing support from the local residents reporting incidents and keeping an eye on the forest. I implore anyone who visits any NRW forest to report any suspicious or obvious acts of an illegal nature to the Police via 101, or 999 in an emergency”.

Ian adds “We’d like to ask all residents to report any and all instances of anti-social behaviour to either the Police, NRW or to me. The more we react the more chance we have of stopping such activities.”