Frustration over finding solution to BMX trail issues
A BMX campaigner fighting to save the trail in Levetts Wood is “very frustrated” by what he perceives as lack of understanding from Rother District Council.
Ricky Bollington has been meeting with officers to discuss the future of the 30-year-old track which faced closure following safety warnings from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). RoSPA’s report resulted in urgent discussion in Cabinet with councillors deciding the options were to tackle safety issues or hand over to a BMX trust. A decision is imminent but Ricky feels talks are not progressing because RDC has no knowledge of the sport locally, and when officers suggest fencing to keep people out he thinks money would be better spent on a contractor to start work. As it is, the trail is not in use at the moment because parts have been taken away. He believes the profile of BMX has never been higher and said: “It is a shame that the council doesn’t understand or have any idea of what BMX is. All we want is a bit of land which we will look after. It is hard working with them - but hopefully I am getting there.”
RDC’s Scott Lavocah said: “We recently met with Mr Bollington to discuss a variety of options for making the area safer in the short term and managing the trail in the future. An action plan has been developed and is being acted upon in consultation with Mr Bollington.
“The safety of the riders and other members of public using the woods is paramount and we are keen for a suitable solution to be found as soon as possible which is why we are working so closely with Ricky and his colleagues. We will now formally report to our next Cabinet meeting setting out the various options which we have agreed with the BMX-ers, and will then be able to put these into action. We will continue to ensure that the BMX riders are fully informed through their representatives, something we have done from the outset.”
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Weather for Bexhill-on-Sea
Tuesday 21 May 2013
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Temperature: 10 C to 16 C
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