Mitchell’s Fold Stone Circle – Off Roading
We have recently received an increase in complaints of motor vehicles, mainly enduro motorbikes, riding over Stapeley Hill, Shropshire between Hemford and White Grit.
We appreciate that Shropshire Council still have the Byway that goes over Stapeley Hill marked as such on the definitive map and the Council’s ‘NO MOTOR VEHICLES’ signs either end of the Byway are old and weathered. However, we would like to remind off-roaders that this Byway has a permanent Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) which has been in place for many years in order to prohibit motor vehicles from using the Byway. The Byway should only be used by vehicles for access.
The TRO is in place to protect Mitchell’s Fold Stone Circle, which is a scheduled monument. The marked Byway runs straight through the middle of the Prehistoric Stone Circle.
Scheduled monuments such as Mitchell’s Fold Stone Circle are protected under law by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as well as other pieces of legislation. As a Scheduled monument there may be offences being committed as by driving or riding over the site could be considered as causing criminal damage to the site (which is protected under the act), this is punishable by a fine and 2 years in prison. Section 59 of the Police Reform Act also gives Police powers to seize vehicle’s that are off-roading and causing distress or annoyance to the public.
Message Sent By
Calvin Brown
(West Mercia Police, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO), Bishop’s Castle and Craven Arms Rural)