The New Forest anti-cycling lobby are once again voicing their dissatisfaction with regards mass-participation events in the area after it has emerged that two separate events – the CTC Wessex Gridiron and the Wiggle New Forest 100 – have both been scheduled to take place in the national park on Sunday 12 October. 

The date also appears to clash with a planned pony round-up, and although the route of one of the rides has already been changed to avoid the conflict, protesters are calling for tighter regulation of such events, both in terms of their frequency and the number of people allowed to enter. Across both events in October it is expected that 3,000 cyclists will be taking to two wheels in the area. 

According to the Daily Echo, Councillor Maureen Holding, a vocal critic of sportives and similar rides in the area, said: “Organisers of mass cycling events are treating the Forest as a playground. The time is coming for legislation to sort this out.” 

The Conservative MP for New Forest East, Julian Lewis, echoed her sentiments: “The ever-increasing frequency of these very large events shows there will no end to this worsening problem until a proper system to licence mass cycling in the New Forest is established. “I will continue to exert maximum pressure on the relevant department to achieve this.” 

The Daily Echo suggests that it is the first time a clash has taken place, and a spokesman for the New Forest National Park Authority (NFNPA) said plans are in the pipeline to avoid similar conflicts in the future. 

He said: “A new event notification system, linked to an online calendar, will soon be launched by the New Forest Safety Advisory Group. This, together with advance information about round-ups, will help avoid future clashes.” 

Together with the Wiggle New Forest Spring Sportive, held in April, the Wiggle New Forest 100 is the largest cycling event in the area, and in the past both have been the target of attacks by saboteurs who ripped down signs and placed tacks on the route.