Organisers slammed for arranging 80km New Forest cycle event without permission

FORESTRY England has criticised a major cycling event organiser for failing to seek permission for a debut 79km ride on the national park’s gravel tracks.

Dozens of riders had been set to descend on Ashurst for Glorious Gravel New Forest on 20th March – although organiser Sportive Breaks said it would “almost certainly” not take place due to lockdown.

Angry residents took to Facebook expressing their alarm such an event had been planned for the area. As well as general concerns about the disturbance and effect on livestock, many were worried cyclists travelling in would worsen the spread of the virus.

Promotion on the Sportive Breaks website for the £39-per-ticket event, which was listed as sold out but has since been removed, said it would loop from Ashurst and take in “some of the best gravel tracks in the New Forest”, passing through Fritham, Ringwood and Lyndhurst and finishing at a pub.

But Forestry England (FE) confirmed it did not give permission for Glorious Gravel and was currently unable to accept any new event applications for the Forest.

An FE spokesperson told the A&T that it had never previously allowed such an event to take place on the district’s waymarked gravel network.

“Forestry England shares the concerns raised by local people about this type of mountain biking event taking place. The off-road waymarked cycle routes are not suitable for an event such as this,” the spokesperson said.

“Off-road cycling is only allowed on specific routes in the New Forest and these are shared paths for people to cycle, walk and horse ride on tracks that avoid sensitive wildlife habitats.

“It’s unfortunate that this event was promoted before the organisers had any discussions with Forestry England, as land manager’s permission is required for any events or organised group activities on the Forest before taking place.”

When the A&T contacted Sportive Breaks, customer services manager Rob Sears sought to assure people the event would not go ahead during any form of lockdown.

“If these restrictions are still in place, we won’t be running an event,” he said.

“We’ve put the event as sold-out on the website so it is not bookable while we are in talks with Forestry England and the national park about sorting out a new date.

“If events can run after lockdown they will be run in full accordance with any restrictions in place at the time, such as staggered arrivals and social distancing.”

Reacting on Facebook, one frustrated resident posted: “It seems a lot of cyclists... go wherever they want the rest of the time. The Wiggle events arranged when the drifts are on.

“Sometimes it feels like we’re living in a cycle park, not a national park.”