THE Lake District National Park Authority is to be granted more powers to restrict or ban the use of ancient highways following a government announcement.

Minister for Rural Affairs Jim Knight said that new laws, which are presently before Parliament, would give national park authorities the ability to make Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) to regulate and restrict traffic on recreational routes within their boundaries.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Knight said that national park authorities would benefit immensely from having the necessary tools to manage traffic effectively for the protection of recreational routes.

"These new arrangements will mean park authorities will be able to exercise TRO powers over rights of way and other highways with unsealed surfaces. I am very pleased that we are able to extend these powers to national park authorities, which will be particularly useful for resolving problems caused by off-road vehicles on rights of way and unclassified roads.

"National park authorities will be able to make orders for various purposes, including avoiding danger, preventing damage, preserving the character of the road, or generally for the purpose of conserving or enhancing the natural beauty of an area or increasing its amenity."

Previously, national park authorities have had to rely on negotiations with local authorities (in the Lake District's case, Cumbria County Council) when they have wanted to introduce a TRO. This process can be time consuming and resource intensive and the outcome is often uncertain.

The House of Commons passed the bill, which is part of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill and it will now go for further discussion to the House of Lords.

Donna O'Brien, the Council for National Park's green lanes campaigner, said: "This welcome move follows many months of campaigning by CNP. The growing use of off-road motor vehicles, such as quad bikes and four-wheel drives for recreation, is having an unacceptable impact on the national parks."

She added that, in May 2005, the CNP had found evidence of "terrible" damage to a number of national parks, including the Lake District.

But recreational drivers' group the Trail Riders' Fellowship said that the Government had effectively banned trail bikes and other vehicles from the "majority of unsurfaced roads."

TRF spokesman Ian Packer said: "If we were talking about using footpaths and bridleways we could understand the upset. But it is only a very small percentage of the path network, which allows vehicles, and it seems that the walking fraternity just want this for themselves. They won't be happy until they have eliminated cars full stop."