Tweed Valley Trail Committee

Purpose

The Tweed Valley trail committee is being set up by the TVTA to drive forward a clear trail maintenance and development programme for the area. The Trail Committee will be open to all and represent the riding Community, other trail Users, Trail Builders, and Local Businesses giving an equal voice for the TVTA. It will meet every 3 months or so and will set out a clear long term action plan and wish list for the area’s trails. Setting a long-term plan ensures that trails can be better managed by the TVTA and the community but also consideration into how they fit into the wider area is better understood. This helps all parties work together to a better planned programme of maintenance and direction on both new and redevelopment of trails.

The Trail Committee will provide an open forum for the Local Community and Businesses interested in the Tweed Valley Trail Network and provides a means to recommend and request actions and direction to the TVTA regarding the Trail Network.

The Trail Committee will aim to agree and create a map or clear list of objectives for the next 2 years at least. These will be reviewed against constraints like felling plans or other impacts on landowners to identify something achievable and deliverable and, where appropriate subject to TVTA approval, will drive forward trail activity.

A longer-term approach will ensure the TVTA can better work with landowners and giving longer notice means the TVTA expect to see far greater success in agreeing new projects and major work on the trail network than has been seen to date. By all groups feeding into this clearly defined process, it gives the community a far stronger voice.

The TVTA Board will continue to lead the core charity and may request the Trail Committee to gather quotes and develop resource plans for any proposed material trail related projects.

The TVTA, working with the Land Managers, will endeavour to be guided by this input as to what the group delivers. However, the TVTA is an independent charity and must ensure all plans adhere to its purpose and constitution so it may not always act upon the requests or recommendations for example where there is a conflict of interest or outwith capability of the group to support.

Principles

Community Engagement – Provide a forum to:

a) Provide input on your wants and needs.

b) Hear the views and needs of others.

c) Agree on a balanced view.

Build Upon our existing Assets – Prioritise making good and maintaining what we have ahead of adding to it.

Inform Strategic Development & Progress – Recommend to the TVTA the prioritisation of activities to support addressing the needs over time.

Charge

The Trails Committee shall specifically:

1. Highlight issues with existing trails both short term fixes and long-term fixes.

·        Safety - exits, junctions, trail features, brashing, dead trees, hanging trees, wind exposure etc.

·        Sustainability - where work can be done to improve sustainability.

·        Quality - are some trails or trail sections inherently not good enough or worn out.

2. Provide Recommendations

·        Rework

·        Re-route

·        Rationalise - Must be reasonable expectation when trails should be closed. After felling or storm damage.

3. Plan new trails/projects over the next 2 years to be taken to land managers. These may be returned with amendments or issues and then negotiated/resubmitted.

·        What Style of riding

·        What style of build

·        Preferred Location

·        Link trails or long-distance routes 

·        Funded projects

4.     Develop a forward-looking plan of trail maintenance and management for TVTA Board approval.

·        Regularly update and revise the trail maintenance programme, reporting on progress to the TVTA Board as required.

Continue to push for safe and appropriate Trail Signage.

Meeting Quorum

1 x TVTA Board Member

1 x TVTA Trail Co-ordinator

3 x Trail Committee members

The Trail Committee will meet at least quarterly, recording agreed actions and providing post meeting progress and issues reports to the TVTA Board.

Does

Things pertaining to the physical Trail Network, both current and future state.

Propose to negotiate the agreed plans with the landowner- a single agreed contact is to be maintained.

Doesn’t

Create a binding decision over the Trail Association.

Have spending authority over TVTA funds.

Things outside the “Does” above.

More updates coming soon on how to get involved.