Is riding motorbikes on UK beaches legal?
Discussion
I'm a CBT instructor and a student i had one day was heavily into racing Motorcross bikes.I told him i had just rebuilt a cr500 and he went on to tell me that it's legal to ride bikes on UK beaches,as long as you ride on the part near the waters edge(tide dependant obviously)and not near where most of the public are mostly(the dry stuff further away).Is this true?Anyone any idea?
Its probably a legal technicality over what constitutes the land and is therefore covered by either trespass traffic laws.
You would have to inspect your local councils Bye laws as Burnham on Sea for example has a specific law against motorcycles on their beaches.
Sounds a bit like an urban legend.
You would have to inspect your local councils Bye laws as Burnham on Sea for example has a specific law against motorcycles on their beaches.
Sounds a bit like an urban legend.
Road Traffic Act 1988
Section 34
Prohibition of driving motor vehicles elsewhere than on roads (1) Subject to the provisions of this section, if without lawful authority a person drives a motor vehicle—
(a) on to or upon any common land, moorland or land of any other description, not being land forming part of a road, or
(b) on any road being a footpath or bridleway,
he is guilty of an offence.
(2) It is not an offence under this section to drive a motor vehicle on any land within fifteen yards of a road, being a road on which a motor vehicle may lawfully be driven, for the purpose only of parking the vehicle on that land.
(3) A person shall not be convicted of an offence under this section with respect to a vehicle if he proves to the satisfaction of the court that it was driven in contravention of this section for the purpose of saving life or extinguishing fire or meeting any other like emergency.
(4) It is hereby declared that nothing in this section prejudices the operation of—
(a) section 193 of the [1925 c. 20.] Law of Property Act 1925 (rights of the public over commons and waste lands), or
(b) any byelaws applying to any land,
or affects the law of trespass to land or any right or remedy to which a person may by law be entitled in respect of any such trespass or in particular confers a right to park a vehicle on any land.
Ten to one the LA will have a By-law prohibiting such and other behaviour.
Speak to the local Council to see what they will allow.
dvd
Section 34
Prohibition of driving motor vehicles elsewhere than on roads (1) Subject to the provisions of this section, if without lawful authority a person drives a motor vehicle—
(a) on to or upon any common land, moorland or land of any other description, not being land forming part of a road, or
(b) on any road being a footpath or bridleway,
he is guilty of an offence.
(2) It is not an offence under this section to drive a motor vehicle on any land within fifteen yards of a road, being a road on which a motor vehicle may lawfully be driven, for the purpose only of parking the vehicle on that land.
(3) A person shall not be convicted of an offence under this section with respect to a vehicle if he proves to the satisfaction of the court that it was driven in contravention of this section for the purpose of saving life or extinguishing fire or meeting any other like emergency.
(4) It is hereby declared that nothing in this section prejudices the operation of—
(a) section 193 of the [1925 c. 20.] Law of Property Act 1925 (rights of the public over commons and waste lands), or
(b) any byelaws applying to any land,
or affects the law of trespass to land or any right or remedy to which a person may by law be entitled in respect of any such trespass or in particular confers a right to park a vehicle on any land.
Ten to one the LA will have a By-law prohibiting such and other behaviour.
Speak to the local Council to see what they will allow.
dvd
TTwiggy said:
Top Gear drove an old Audi 100 through the sea on a beach in (I think) Wales. Presumably there were no local bye-laws to prevent this, and they had permissionto do so. Clearly there's no motoring offence involved...
What about tractors that tow boats out to the sea across beaches?I would be looking for local specific info.
Dwight VanDriver said:
Road Traffic Act 1988
Section 34
Prohibition of driving motor vehicles elsewhere than on roads (1) Subject to the provisions of this section, if without lawful authority a person drives a motor vehicle—
(a) on to or upon any common land, moorland or land of any other description, not being land forming part of a road, or
(b) on any road being a footpath or bridleway,
he is guilty of an offence.
(2) It is not an offence under this section to drive a motor vehicle on any land within fifteen yards of a road, being a road on which a motor vehicle may lawfully be driven, for the purpose only of parking the vehicle on that land.
(3) A person shall not be convicted of an offence under this section with respect to a vehicle if he proves to the satisfaction of the court that it was driven in contravention of this section for the purpose of saving life or extinguishing fire or meeting any other like emergency.
(4) It is hereby declared that nothing in this section prejudices the operation of—
(a) section 193 of the [1925 c. 20.] Law of Property Act 1925 (rights of the public over commons and waste lands), or
(b) any byelaws applying to any land,
or affects the law of trespass to land or any right or remedy to which a person may by law be entitled in respect of any such trespass or in particular confers a right to park a vehicle on any land.
Ten to one the LA will have a By-law prohibiting such and other behaviour.
Speak to the local Council to see what they will allow.
dvd
Is the tidal part of the beach considered 'land'?Section 34
Prohibition of driving motor vehicles elsewhere than on roads (1) Subject to the provisions of this section, if without lawful authority a person drives a motor vehicle—
(a) on to or upon any common land, moorland or land of any other description, not being land forming part of a road, or
(b) on any road being a footpath or bridleway,
he is guilty of an offence.
(2) It is not an offence under this section to drive a motor vehicle on any land within fifteen yards of a road, being a road on which a motor vehicle may lawfully be driven, for the purpose only of parking the vehicle on that land.
(3) A person shall not be convicted of an offence under this section with respect to a vehicle if he proves to the satisfaction of the court that it was driven in contravention of this section for the purpose of saving life or extinguishing fire or meeting any other like emergency.
(4) It is hereby declared that nothing in this section prejudices the operation of—
(a) section 193 of the [1925 c. 20.] Law of Property Act 1925 (rights of the public over commons and waste lands), or
(b) any byelaws applying to any land,
or affects the law of trespass to land or any right or remedy to which a person may by law be entitled in respect of any such trespass or in particular confers a right to park a vehicle on any land.
Ten to one the LA will have a By-law prohibiting such and other behaviour.
Speak to the local Council to see what they will allow.
dvd
Eliminator said:
Below high-tide mark I always understood did not constitute "land" therefore not subject to any driving laws (age, speed, MOT, etc)
When I went to Kerry (west of Ireland) last summer it was common practice in the evenings for small children to drive cars along on the beach on their parents laps, for the craic.Most entertaining.
John
mark69sheer said:
Its probably a legal technicality over what constitutes the land and is therefore covered by either trespass traffic laws.
You would have to inspect your local councils Bye laws as Burnham on Sea for example has a specific law against motorcycles on their beaches.
Sounds a bit like an urban legend.
Methinks this came about because, years ago when I was a pup (don't know if they still do it) they used to have races along the sands. As time progressed local pondlife took this as a licence to do it whenever they fealt like it. I even remember rescuing a young teen one year at 7 am, we were parked on the beach after the long trip down for a holiday when he got stuck. I remember my old man saying something less than complimentary to him and upon receipt of a blank look he explained to me the lad probably din't speak Yorkshire....However, I do remember what my old man, welder by proffesion, said...You would have to inspect your local councils Bye laws as Burnham on Sea for example has a specific law against motorcycles on their beaches.
Sounds a bit like an urban legend.
They had also had one or two incidents due to people getting cars stuck in the mud flats/sinking sand/whatever
I doubt that the Top Gear examples here hold any relevance. They will have permission to film and then most likely close the area off that they are to be using. Once that's done they have free reign. Otherwise all stunt drivers would have been banned many times over.
As to whether it's land or not it's a good question. I would imagine it would have to be, otherwise no traffic laws would be enforcable on the likes of roads like the causeway to Lindisfarne (a long stretch of road completely consumed by the sea at high tide) when they clearly are.
Hmm....
As to whether it's land or not it's a good question. I would imagine it would have to be, otherwise no traffic laws would be enforcable on the likes of roads like the causeway to Lindisfarne (a long stretch of road completely consumed by the sea at high tide) when they clearly are.
Hmm....
Adam_BGT said:
i drive on southport beach regularly.... the bye law says something like ' the carriage of motor vehicles on the foreshore is only permitted if to a parking place'
That's the point. You can't get to the high-water mark without passing over the the foreshore (above high water mark)Eliminator said:
Adam_BGT said:
i drive on southport beach regularly.... the bye law says something like ' the carriage of motor vehicles on the foreshore is only permitted if to a parking place'
That's the point. You can't get to the high-water mark without passing over the the foreshore (above high water mark)Is the OP talking about a "off road" moto x bike as in unregistered/untaxed/uninsured etc.?If he is I would of thought that riding on the beach is a no no .Is a beach not a public place and would he not be in the $hit if he hit someone without insurance etc.? If its a road legal machine then most beaches that allow motor vehicles on would still have rules and regs.One of my mates got done for careless driving and had 3 points stuck on his licence (from memory)for doing a handbrake turn on the beach at Weston super mud.
The way I understand it is to ride a motor vehicle on any land other than the highway you need the owners (of the land) permission, you must seek this permission in writing then produce it at a police station to be counter signed, It can only be for a certain time and day, If you haven't followed these procedures it's illegal.
This means if you are planning a grass track meeting all the H+S and insurace issues(public liability) should be dealt with.
Can't see how a public or private beach is any different.
This means if you are planning a grass track meeting all the H+S and insurace issues(public liability) should be dealt with.
Can't see how a public or private beach is any different.
Yung Man said:
The way I understand it is to ride a motor vehicle on any land other than the highway you need the owners (of the land) permission, you must seek this permission in writing then produce it at a police station to be counter signed, It can only be for a certain time and day, If you haven't followed these procedures it's illegal.
This means if you are planning a grass track meeting all the H+S and insurace issues(public liability) should be dealt with.
Can't see how a public or private beach is any different.
Because it is not "Land" for the purposes of UK law. you are riding on the sea bed, which is not covered by any prohibition. At particular times the sea bed may not have any sea above it and so you can use a vehicle that can also be used on the road. At other times it is covered by the sea and carburetter flooding is a significant risk.This means if you are planning a grass track meeting all the H+S and insurace issues(public liability) should be dealt with.
Can't see how a public or private beach is any different.
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