North Wales

[Paul Humphreys]

NORTH WALES ALLIANCE to MANAGE OFF-ROADING

INVITATION to INAUGURAL MEETING

Blaenau Ffestiniog Community Centre- Thursday 5th July 2007 - 7.30pm.

(The Community Centre is adjacent to the Leisure Centre - follow signs on the High Street by the Post Office)

You, or a delegate representing your organisation, are invited to the inaugural meeting of an alliance whose purpose will be to prevent illegal use in the countryside of recreational off road motorcyclists and four by fours, and reduce their legal use on inappropriate routes in North Wales.

By joining together like-minded bodies and people throughout North Wales, we can make a difference to tackle this increasing problem in our wonderful landscape. We would be very grateful if you could tell your members aud friends about this meeting and encourage them to attend.

The inaugural meeting will be addressed by Marina Pugh of The Countryside Council for Wales, and Barbara Jones of Snowdonia National Park Authority, who will give illustrated talks showing the extent of the problems. Then Sergeant Pete Charleston, the North Wales Police Wildlife Officer will tell us what the police can do, and have done, to address illegal off-road activities of motorcyclists and four by four recreational vehicles, followed by PC Dewi Wynne, Community Beat Manager in Blaenau Ffestiniog, who will explain the local initiatives being taken to address the off-roading problem in the Moelwynion. Next there will be an open forum for an exchange of views, and finally a membership list of the Alliance will be opened and a steering group formed to carry forward the work of the Alliance.

Similar organisations have been set up elsewhere with considerable success. We can learn from their experiences, and tackle together the problems we have here in North Wales. By joining together, we will have a powerful voice which will be able to direct the management of off roading to benefit those who earn their living in the countryside, be it farming or tourism, as well as those who enjoy quiet recreation in the great outdoors.

Return slip - please fill this in and return to the coordinator of the working group that is arranging this meeting. This present working group is made up of individuals who are members of various organisations, including The Snowdonia Society, The Ramblers' Association, The Council for the Protection of Rural Wales, Save Our Paths, and the British Mountaineering Club. The projected Alliance however, will be independent of these organisations. It will have its own distinctive policies and will, it is hoped, attract a membership drawn from as wide a range of individuals and organisations as possible: landowners, farmers, local residents, amenity groups of all sorts who can join together in what is likely to be a long and tough campaign.

NWAMOR c/o Snowdonia Society, Ty Hyll, Cape{Curig, Betws yCoed LL240D$- Phone - 01690720287

Email- policy@snowdonia-societv.org.uk

I hope to be there, but anyone can go.

Paul