A VETERAN trail rider claims that country bikers are being treated as second-class citizens under new Government legislation.

Surveyor David Oickle, 60, of Normandy Way, Dorchester, says trail riders are going to be much more limited in where they can go because of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill, set to become law early next year.

The Bill removes the current status of Roads Used as Public Paths which is claimed for many 'green lanes'. In future motor vehicles will be permitted only on tracks which are classified as Byways Open to All Traffic.

Mr Oickle said: "At the moment we can research an area's history and then evidence this if we want it to have vehicular rights. If this bill is made into law then we will not be able to submit evidence to the county council any more.

"All we request is a fair deal. When the Countryside and Rights of Way Act Act 2000 was passed, we were given a considerable timeframe in which to submit legitimate claims to upgrade some routes to byway status. Part of the stated aim was to once for all bring up to date the Definitive Map and Statement.

"The Government's next move was to shorten that time to an impossible period in which to carry out the necessary research required for each route, resulting in us attempting to do in a year what our local authority had failed to carry out in 50 years.

"A county the size of Dorset should have many more routes with vehicular access than it has - a clear indication of the local authority reneging in its duties as laid down by central government.

"There seems to be a problem with the way motorcycle riders are viewed. Our group are basically ramblers on wheels. We are mostly mature people and we ride our bikes across Dorset, enjoying the scenery.

"This legislation will affect us, but it won't stop those who ride illegally. They will just carry on doing what they have always done.

"Contrary to popular belief we have never sought new routes for vehicles in the countryside. We only seek to have the existing rights re-established which can be proven from legal documentation, some of which dates back to the 18th century."

He added: "Most of the work I have done in this area will now be nullified with the stroke of a pen."