Bid for motorbikes on walking lane rejected after wave of opposition

A bid to allow motorbikes to use a lane reserved for walkers, cyclists and horseriders has been blocked after decisionmakers declared it would be against policies aimed at encouraging health and wellbeing.

A campaign group called the Trail Riders Fellowship (TRF) had contested a move that banned motor vehicles from using Rydon Lane, which stretches for 2.5 kilometres between Mill Lane in Exton and Globe Hill in Woodbury.
The decision to prevent vehicles using it was taken in 2024 because of the lane’s narrow nature, lack of passing places, and poor visibility.
The southern half of Rydon Lane then became an official ‘Green Lane’, allowing the likes of walkers, cyclists and horse riders to use it without having to navigate traffic.
But the TRF had claimed the traffic regulation order (TRO) – the official process used to prevent motor vehicles from using the lane – had been made without sufficient evidence that it would be dangerous for motorbikes to use the lane alongside pedestrians and cyclists.
The group lodged a judicial appeal, but had agreed to pause the proceedings while the East Devon highways and traffic orders (Hatoc) committee explored potential options.
But while officers were recommending the Hatoc committee amend the regulations to allow motorbikes and impose a 20 mph speed limit, the proposal was rejected.
Members of the public and Hatoc committee members questioned the logic of allowing motorbikes to use the lane, queried how the 20 mph speed limit would be enforced, and worried that so-called active users – such as walkers and cyclists – would probably be discouraged from using it if motorbikes were permitted.
“Introducing motorcycles would go against stated [active travel] strategies of Devon County Council,” Councillor Chris Burhop (Independent, Newton Poppleford & Harpford) said.
He added that all the comments he had seen from members of the public suggested that if motorcycles were allowed “it would restrict them using it for walking, cycling and riding”.
Councillor Nick Hookway (Liberal Democrat, Exmouth Littleham) agreed he “could not support the recommendations”.
“Anything that restricts, hinders or discourages cyclists from using green routes, I can’t support,” he said.
“I have seen too many cases on roads where cyclists, who have every right to be there, have caused congestion, frustration among drivers, and potential accidents.
“We really do need to work against that.”
John Pyne, a member of Woodbury Parish Council, who spoke at the meeting, said the community favoured keeping the lane just for walkers and cyclists.
“Where does safety come into this,” he said.
“If there was a child on a bike that came face-to-face with a motorbike, that’s a no-brainer of something to avoid.”
Councillor Tim Dumper (Liberal Democrat, Exmouth Halsdon) believed that implementing the restriction on Rydon Lane was “totally within our policy framework”, and therefore believed it would be easy to defend the judicial review.
Judicial reviews focus on how decisions were made and whether processes were followed, rather than deciding if decisions are correct or not. 
The move by the Hatoc committee to reject changes to the regulations restricting the usage on Rydon Lane does not stop the judicial review from happening. The Trail Riders Fellowship may now decide to continue to pursue it in court.
The Hatoc committee will now produce its formal reasons for keeping the regulations in place and will discuss them at its next meeting.