Signs At The Top Of Boat Cove Lane

Dear Perranuthnoe,

Some of you may have noticed some additional signs at the top of Boat Cove Lane and so I would like to clarify the situation.

Boat Cove Lane has for a very long time been designated a Bridleway with access permitted to only those who own property (fields or homes) or who have business at those properties. All the property owners will have the access written into the deeds.  In January the wooden post with the Bridleway sign fell down and was lying on the tarmac at the bottom of the hedge. A few days later it disappeared altogether. I contacted Cornwall Council to ask for a replacement. They said they would do so in the new financial year. By July of this year (when nothing had happened) I prompted them again. My reason for persisting is three fold; - one Sunday at the beginning of July there were 14 cars parked at the end of the Bridleway that we could not get our car out even if we wanted to, secondly the owner of the dog that killed my goose had parked her car at the end of the lane end let the dogs run free with a disastrous outcome, and thirdly we have to pay for the upkeep of the lane which is being eroded by car users who should not be there.

It would seem that some don’t know (or choose to overlook) what Bridleway means- it is a route for pedestrians or horse riders. Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 Section 34 it stipulates that it is an offence to use “mechanically propelled vehicles”

I asked the Council for additional signage (a red circle with a car and motorbike) to reiterate what a bridleway means. However they said funding was in short supply but if we purchased the regulation signs they would provide the post and the fixing straps for it. This has now been done and the signs are now donated to Cornwall Council as their property. The Parish Council are also aware of the situation. There may be some of you who think the Lane should be a Public Byway. If there a grounds for changing it to thus you need to contact Cornwall Council.

This past week we have been able to get out of our driveway freely and haven’t encountered another vehicle coming down at breakneck speed to get to the beach.  Dog walkers and families will be able to walk down the lane to the beach without having to dive into the hedge as something whizzes past. Hopefully it will be pleasanter for everyone.

Karen Wall