ATVs on Railway Trail and in National Parks
The Bermuda National Trust is deeply dismayed and disheartened by the decision to grant a one-year license for ATV tours on the Railway Trail in Sandys.
We are particularly concerned that the Minister of Parks feels able to ignore the fact that 99.7 percent of those who responded to the public consultation objected to the proposal. Many will perceive this as making a mockery of the public consultation process and this will reduce confidence in public consultation in general.
This morning we reached out to other concerned groups who objected to the plan and we are to hold an emergency meeting to review the options open to us.
Notwithstanding the need for innovative experiences for our visitors, the safety and enjoyment of our National Parks is paramount. They are the preserves of all of us; our children, seniors, athletes, artists, differently abled, farmers, birdwatchers, walkers, horse riders, fisherman, visitors and more. Open spaces like the Railway Trail are essential to the public’s overall health and the wellbeing of our community. This tour threatens to disrupt the peace and tranquility people seek in parks and open spaces.
We do not believe that this one tour with its limited reach, nuisance and the dangerous precedent it sets, can in way demonstrate that it is in the public interest to justify overriding a number of different pieces of legislation.