RIDERS are demanding action to prevent a popular bridleway being repeatedly blocked by makeshift barricades and forcing them on to a busy main road.
Last November Fiona Daniels was riding down a path that runs into Wintry Wood in Epping Forest from the Brickfields business centre on the B1393 stretch of Epping High Road.
Mrs Daniels, 48, of Brookfields in Thornwood, said: “There were all of these huge pieces of wood across the path, whoever had done it had properly pushed it in so it couldn’t be moved.
“I had to dismount and could not even get over it on foot. I cleared it but when we returned a few weeks later someone had put more of them up.
“This has been going on and on, only last Tuesday my friend said another one had been put up which she had to move.
“I have heard that it might be someone who thinks riders are churning up the earth on the path for walkers, but this is one of the driest parts of the forest “Someone can’t get away with it. We pay for the right to use the forest and all I want to do is go out on a pleasant ride.
She said that riders were forced to take a route down the High Road to get into the wood by a different path She said: “You can’t stop and remove these huge bits of wood every time but it is not nice to ride down a road like that with all of that traffic.”
Despite riders repeatedly asking the forest authorities at the City of London Corporation to take action they have failed to do so.
Mrs Daniels said: “If they are investigating it we want to know how. Even some signs up reminding whoever is doing this that it is illegal would be useful.”
Lance Renetzke is the chairman of the Epping Forest Riders Association.
He said: “Riders should not have to use the main road.
“I would urge the forest rangers to enforce the bylaws, find who is responsible and issue the appropriate punishment.”
The Corporation of London is aware of the issue and a spokesman said that blocking paths was a potentially an extremely dangerous act.
Superintendent Paul Thomson urged anyone with concerns to contact Forest Keepers, adding: “Forest users cannot take the law into their own hands.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here