Green lane permit for Maidstone's surrounding areas

[KentKeith]

Good evening folks. Having removed my excessively wide alloy wheels and flared wheel arches, I have now fitted steels to my Vitara Jlx and I'm interested in applying to Maidstone council for a byways permit for some greenlaning experience.
Firstly, has anyone got experience of the byways covers by maidstone council?
And will my stock 23yr old Vit be capable on said byways?
Thanks people.


1991 Vitara JLX se 1.6 8v Auto.

[donkeychomp]

No idea you needed a permit to go green laning...well, you don't round here anyway.

Your Vit will be fine if it's just mild laning, but for a bit of piece of mind fit mud terrain tyres...and have fun!

[KentKeith]

No idea you needed a permit to go green laning...well, you don't round here anyway.

Your Vit will be fine if it's just mild laning, but for a bit of piece of mind fit mud terrain tyres...and have fun!

Yep, byway permits for the restricted lanes. They're free.

I have MUDs on it so hopefully should be able to have a bit of fun wih it.

[Rhinoman]

that makes no sense. A restricted byway is not open to vehicular access unless you have a need to use it, i.e. you live half way along it or you need to get food to livestock. That right is set in law and can't be 'gifted' by the council, they also can't give you access for recreational purposes.

[mmac78]

I'm in agreement with Rhinoman here, restricted Byways are not allowed to be driven on (except as Rhinoman says...) same goes for around here in Sussex. The 'permit' you're talking about is given to people who live along the restricted Byway or work along them etc. Unless you don't do either - you won't get permission i'm afraid. And if you do, I would like to see actual proof.

As for other greenlanes, as long as your insured, car is taxed and MOT'd then you need no other credentials.

I've driven Greenlanes over the south for over 10 years. Drop down to Sussex - as there are a healthy number of greenlanes still open (with two at the moment that are TRO'd until the Summer).

[Rhinoman]

I had a look on the Kent CC website, it seems that they have put gates across a number of the byways as part of a TRO and these gates have keypads, the 'permit' is the keycode to unlock the gates. It sees that they have, in effect, turned byways into restricted byways without having to go through the legal process, in much the same way that 'temporary' TROs have been applied for decades by some councils.

[mmac78]

crafty bleeders!!!

I know down this way permits are issued to people who live along these restricted byways and if they work there etc. Other than that, you have no business on them in a 4X4

[KentKeith]

crafty bleeders!!!

I know down this way permits are issued to people who live along these restricted byways and if they work there etc. Other than that, you have no business on them in a 4X4

Yep, perfectly acceptable for recreational use. It's there for all to read. You see, I'm not telling porkies

[hath]

think some of the lanes in the lake district have permits to drive them you have to apply on line