Section 33 — Road Traffic Act 1988: Control of use of footpaths , bridleways and restricted byways for motor vehicle trials.

Control of use of footpaths , bridleways and restricted byways for motor vehicle trials. 33 1 A person must not promote or take part in a trial of any description between motor vehicles on a footpath , bridleway or restricted byway unless the holding of the trial has been authorised under this section by the local authority.

2 A local authority shall not give an authorisation under this section unless satisfied that consent in writing to the use of any length of footpath , bridleway or restricted byway for the purposes of the trial has been given by the owner and by the occupier of the land over which that length of footpath , bridleway or restricted byway runs, and any such authorisation may be given subject to compliance with such conditions as the authority think fit.

3 A person who—

a contravenes subsection (1) above, or b fails to comply with any conditions subject to which an authorisation under this section has been granted, is guilty of an offence.

4 The holding of a trial authorised under this section is not affected by any statutory provision prohibiting or restricting the use of footpaths , bridleways or restricted byways or a specified footpath , bridleway or restricted byway ; but this section does not prejudice any right or remedy of a person as having any interest in land.

5 In this section “ local authority ”—

a in relation to England and Wales, means the council of a county, metropolitan district or London borough, and b in relation to Scotland, means a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 .

6 In this section “ restricted byway ” means a way over which the public have restricted byway rights within the meaning of Part 2 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, with or without a right to drive animals of any description along the way, but no other rights of way.