Staney Hill Track, Hoofields to Clickamin

[shetlandpeat]

I use this track often to go visiting and was amazed to find folk using it as a cut through for vehicles. I was almost hit by one as it came over the brow but I worry about the speed. The road surface is non existent at the top and covered with loose chippings where there is tar macadam. How long will it be before a vehicle hits a walker or looses control. The hill is quite steep and I would not like to chance stopping at speed, in the wet on the gravel.

The track at the top is made from crushed rock, not suitable for your front wheel drive saxo.

 

How did it come to be that the gate at Hoofields was removed.

 

It has made a pleasant walk dangerous, as usual, by selfish actions of others. There are two roads that can be used.

[NewMagnie]

I used it many a time as a short cut.

 

I did have a land rover though.

[Stromfirth]

I did'nt know you could get through at the bottom - that's a great shortcut.

Whe are we going to get a by-pass road from Hoofields to the Sandy Loch Drive area, I'm fed up of having to go through the Town to get form one side to the other.

[Lastditch]

we use it as short cut when there is roadworks, saves a bit of time. No bother wi a car.

[EM]

I did'nt know you could get through at the bottom - that's a great shortcut.

I have a feeling that the result of this thread is going to be the exact opposite of what had been intended.

[jimmy parks]

we use it as short cut when there is roadworks, saves a bit of time. No bother wi a car.

 

The landowner should put a padlocked gate on the top and bottom to stop vehicles coming thrugh. Cars should not be goin there. Not a proper road.

 

Road across the top of staney hill, ie town bypass, might not be a bad idea tho.

[Carlos]

Road across the top of staney hill, ie town bypass, might not be a bad idea tho.

You'd have to demolish a few things at the Sandy Loch end to get a road suitable for any decent level of traffic though....

[shetlandpeat]

The OS sez it is "other road or track" but it is unadopted me thinks, hence it may be privately owned and may only be used for access. Someone repairing the fence or walls are entitled to use it to access such places, hence blocking the track. Folk with horses use the track, not really expecting cars to speed through without care. Your insurance may not be valid using such roads or tracks. The speed limit remains at least at 30 mph as there are no signs indicating any other speed. And roadworks? There are so many other ways. The camp site is now disturbed by vehicles using the road at speed. Vehicles will also have to drive through the Clickamin complex, another area not designed for through traffic, where there can be lots of pedestrians. Again, the Clickamin roads will be on council owned land and may only be used for access only, not as a thoroughfare. So still, to use these tracks as a cut through and not really for legitimate purposes could be against some law or by-law.

The only way to test this would be to put this subject further into the public domain. Coz we don't want any accidents, the road would have to be maintained from the public or private purse, signs would have to be erected, passing places put in, the top of the track reinstated as a proper road. And pedestrians including dog walkers, horse riders and kids at the Clickamin will need to be protected, this could include further street lighting. I can see a gate being the cheaper option. If of course what I have mentioned is true to fact.

There is only one way to find out.

[shetlandpeat]

Road across the top of staney hill, ie town bypass, might not be a bad idea tho.

You'd have to demolish a few things at the Sandy Loch end to get a road suitable for any decent level of traffic though....

 

There is already a by-pass

 

A970 -> B9073 -> A970

[MaxFusion]

I 'm pretty sure the council owns the track and maintains it...not 100% though.

And if it's marked as "other road or track" it's probably unclassified and therefore doesn't have a speed limit so getting done for speeding is out of the question...you will be done for dangerous driving if someone has to jump into the ditch to let you by tho

[SEamAN]

Yeh, the council does own the road. They bought it to stop youngsters using scramblers, quads, etc... on the road without licenses. Thats why the gates gone and people are using it more freely now.

[shetlandpeat]

I 'm pretty sure the council owns the track and maintains it...not 100% though.

And if it's marked as "other road or track" it's probably unclassified and therefore doesn't have a speed limit so getting done for speeding is out of the question...

 

If this is the case it would now mean that the council could be liable for installing speed signs etc.

But, all my driving experience has told me that if there is no sign indicating speed limits then the speed limit should always be taken as the same as the areas that the road joins.

If the limit is as you say, then the cattle grids would have to be changed I would think.

[MaxFusion]

If the limit is as you say, then the cattle grids would have to be changed I would think.

 

why exactly?

if it's unclassified that's it..unclassified.

What's the difference between that track and say greenlanes down your way that ramblers have to share with quad bikes and offroaders?

same codes apply as any other track I would think, give way to the larger vehicle

[shetlandpeat]

They may not take the increased volume of traffic.

The lanes where I live are not in Shetland.

 

I would guess by the attitudes that car drivers come 1st over everything else regarding roads etc.

 

Why would you need a short cut across rubble. You have an engine that takes the labour out of getting from one place to another. Leave the short cuts to those who can only or choose to walk.

You will also find that horses, pedestrians and bicycles have more right of way. Or are you saying a pedestrian or horse should jump into a ditch to let a car pass. You may want to brush up on the relative codes.

And, the council buying roads to let motorcyclists use it without breaking the law? They may have purchaced it to stop that.

 

I have never known that particular track be used as much and so recklessly.

For over 30 years I have used that track to walk. The last couple it has become more dangerous, maybe because of the new houses being built, folk THINK they have rights to use it instead of using recognized routes.

It shows that some vehicle drivers think only about themselves. That is evident when drivers bully folk to get out of the way on Da Street when it is set aside for pedestrians at the same times every day or so.

[Ghostrider]

The sheer hassle and aggro of using a road of the condition and on the terrain of the Staney Hill one, long forgoes the honour of it being a shortcut for wheeled traffic IMHO. Steep roads are a pain in the whotsits and a steep road with a loose surface is a royal pain in the whotsits.