UCR: Andrew's Lane

Location: Lyeway Rd, Ropley, Hampshire SO24 0, UK
  • Overall Rating: 1
  • Location: Ropley, Hampshire.
  • OS Explorer Map 132, 'Winchester New Alresford & East Meon'.
  • Starting OS Grid Reference: SU661320
  • Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 05' 19.12" W001 04' 01.76"
  • Finishing OS Grid Reference:  SU653325
  • Finishing GPS Co-ordinates: N51 05' 00.97" W001 03' 23.08"
  • To see: the Watercress Line steam railway.
  • ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!
Although technically open to motorised traffic, on visiting this UCR we found it to be so narrow at it's southern end as to be impassible to 4x4's and therefore we could not review it accurately. However, trail bikes, horses and pedestrians will have no such problems and we have been told by a reliable source that it is actually quite a pleasurable byway to visit! The 4x4 community's loss must be tolerated until maintenance is performed.

Andrew's Lane branches off to the left. Clearly too narrow!

View Andrew's Lane in a larger map

6 comments:

Graham Smith said...

Hi, just discovered your site, really impressed by the amount of work you've put into it. I'm into motorcycle trail riding, and I've not ridden this lane as I wasn't aware that it had rights for motorised vehicles. On the OS map it's shown as ORPA, but I don't think that necessarily means it has vehicular rights. You say it's a UCR open to motorised traffic - can you clarify the basis for reaching this conclusion?
Many thanks

Dempo said...

Hi Graham! Thanks for the compliments, and the feedback: it's all gratefully received. Our site may indeed have a 4x4 bent but it is also intended as a resource for all byway users, and as such trail bikers are most welcome here. There are now so many byways on this site that we cannot always keep on top of them all, and if the status of a particular byway changes we do not always catch it. Hence, to enhance our accuracy we encourage visitors such as yourself to help us out to a degree and submit comments and corrections as often as possible.

To that end, with regards to this particular lane, on the OS Explorer Map we have (which was current when we visited it, it may well have been revised since) Andrews Lane was shown as a UCR by the small green dots (I am aware that this can also mean an ORPA). Next, we cross-checked Hampshire County Council's Definitive Map (http://www.hants.gov.uk/rh/row/maps/1614.pdf) where this lane is shown as normal country road entitled 'Andrews Lane (Track)'. Next, we visited it. The northern end the lane is a metalled driveway and certainly carries vehicular rights. Where the tarmac ends it is still possible to drive the gravel lane in a 4x4 a little further, and there are no signs here stating that motorised traffic is forbidden. At the far southern end the lane is a muddy farm track that also appears to carry vehicular rights: again there are no signs stating otherwise. We do not have access to the Hampshire List of Streets so cannot check. This research is, I agree, not necessarily enough to definitively prove vehicular access, but there is certainly a strong case that it has historically carried rights of vehicular access, and that was our conclusion. However, in this case it is somewhat of a moot point as the lane becomes so narrow that it is impossible to drive a 4x4 right down it, though a trail biker may fare better. If we are wrong then we are wrong and we will apologise and withdraw the entry from the site.

I hope that answers your question. Thanks once again and we hope this site continues to serve you in the future!

Graham Smith said...

Many thanks for the comprehensive reply James. I've made some enquiries amongst the Hampshire trail riding fraternity and it turns out that Andrews Lane is generally regarded as having vehicular rights, so I shall include it next time I'm riding in that area. Thanks for bringing it to my attention via your site. I also discovered as part of my enquiries, a new (to me) acronym UUR - Unmetalled Unclassified Road - which seems to supercede UCR (http://www.laragb.org/pages/glossary.html)
Thanks again and keep up your excellent work!

Dempo said...

A UUR, you say? That is certainly news to us! I shall investigate further.

When you do visit, please do let us know how you got on as I shall then update this entry as 'suitable for trail bikers' should you succeed.

Graham Smith said...

Hi James, it's only taken me a year(!) but I rode Andrews Lane for the first time yesterday, most enjoyable and the narrowness at the south-easterly end was no problem for trail bikes. Thanks again for the introduction. Incidentally the recent warm and dry spell has done a pretty good job of drying out the lanes after the rainy winter.

Dempo said...

Many thanks Graham! Feedback such as this is absolute gold and to an extent we rely on it to keep this site current and useful. I'm glad you enjoyed your day out, and now that the byways are finally drier it may well be time for us to venture off the beaten track again! I've updated thisnpost with your information.

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