Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help prevent off-road vehicles used for recreational purposes causing damage to (a) farmland and (b) the wider countryside in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.

In our response to the Landscapes Review we launched a public consultation on the future of green lanes, using it as an opportunity to listen to the views of all those affected. We recognise that these unsealed routes often provide essential vehicular access for local residents and businesses without causing damage or disturbance. We have convened a multi-user stakeholder working group to consider further the vulnerability to damage of all green lanes.

It is the responsibility of local authorities to issue Traffic Regulations Orders to protect sensitive areas where necessary.