Permission granted for bike event in Dales

Permission for an off-road motorcycling trial to take place on ancient woodland and archaeological remains in the Yorkshire Dales has been granted for this year's event.

About 200 riders take part in the Scott Trial, which spans 130km (81 miles) in the Dales and attracts some of the best trail bike riders in the world.

Event organisers had applied for a five-year extension to their planning permission terms or consent for the trial to continue permanently.

Robert Stones, president of Richmond Motor Club, said they were aware the course crossed very sensitive ground. Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority agreed that the event could take place in October.

The trial, which marks its 100th anniversary this year, will take place in Swaledale and Arkengarthdale.

The club and national park officers said they would now work together to produce plans to reduce the impact of the trial on the area.

It is hoped the mitigation work will lead to a longer term planning permission being issued again in the future.

Stones told a planning committee meeting at the authority's headquarters in Bainbridge: "We do our utmost to abide by all rules and regulations requested by various authorities and landowners.

"The club was first approached by Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority in 1999, suggesting we needed planning permission to run the event.

"Planning permission has been granted at regular intervals over the past 25 years, roughly once every five years.

"Hopefully, we can work alongside YDNPA and other organisations to ensure this event continues well into the future."

Upper Dales councillor Yvonne Peacock said the event was "100 years old and it's important to the local community", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"It has the support of every parish council in the area. They believe in the importance of this as a cultural event," she said.

Richard Graham, head of development management at the park authority, said: "It's going to have to come back with a lot more details about what baseline conditions are, if there are any plans for monitoring that, mitigation measures and all of that.

"So we're going to work with the applicants to make sure that happens."

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