A Ruckus over Cycling Prohibitions in Miesbach County's Trails
Struggle over Restrictions for Mountain Bikes: Discussion on Prohibitions in Trails - European lawmakers endorse the proposed report.
Hikers and mountain bikers not always find themselves on the same page. And sometimes, property owners like dairy farmers, forest managers, and others don't welcome cyclists on their lands. The County of Miesbach proposes stringent measures against mountain biking.
New regulations for six landscape protection areas need to be issued because the corresponding maps are missing. The plan entails an outright ban on mountain biking on alpine and forest trails with a width of up to 1.5 meters. The "Süddeutsche Zeitung" was the first to report on this.
Associations blow their whistles – is it a total ban? The German Alpine Club (DAV) and the German Mountainbike Initiative (DIMB) voice strong objections to the plans. Initially, they spoke of a ban on paths up to 2.5 meters wide. "This would result in a virtually complete cycling ban in the County of Miesbach due to the extent of these landscape protection areas," the associations argue in a position paper.
Even with only a 1.5-meter limit, the criticism persists. Some designated paths and special MTB trails will be exceptions from the rule.
Hoo-ha about school routes
"These cycling bans will primarily limit local residents," the paper reads. Restrictions could also affect school routes and shopping errands.
The district office refutes this categorically. "We won't take away any school child's route," a spokeswoman asserted. The goal is to strike a balance between property owners' rights and mountain bikers' interests. New bike trails will also be developed in the future.
Not a blanket ban for the entire county – the north and Leitzachtal are spared. Popular tours on forest roads such as the Erzherzog-Johann-Runde, Wallberg-Runde, Auer Alm, Neureuth, or Valepp remain accessible.
Property owners' rights take precedence
The district office must also be mindful of the property owners' rights. "Without the consent of the landowners, we can't designate a single pure MTB trail in the wilderness," suggests Josef Faas from the Lower Nature Conservation Authority.
The new regulations will await the county council's approval after a public hearing in July, but a decision won't be made until October.
Path width as a deciding factor: Bavaria sets a precedent
According to Thomas Holz from DIMB, only about half a dozen trails will remain in the county under the new rule. For the first time in Bavaria, a ban regulation would be implemented based on the path's width – as is already the case in Baden-Württemberg. In Baden-Württemberg, this has led mountain bikers to resort to wild trails instead.
Holz also refers to an administrative guideline from the Ministry of the Environment for implementing the Bavarian Nature Conservation Act: "In particular, the prescription of a minimum path width is to be rejected on constitutional grounds, as narrow paths are not necessarily unsuitable," it says in the guideline. Instead, various factors should be considered, such as the trail's condition, the substrate, the trail's structural condition, the long-term impact on natural spaces, erosion risks, or dangers to pedestrians.
One case at a time – tackling old conflicts with new avenues
"Each case must be evaluated individually," also advises Nicolas Gareis of the DAV. A steering group for mountain biking, consisting of local government representatives and both associations, aims to create tailored options for cyclists and guide them accordingly.
- Mountain biking
- Miesbach District
- Miesbach
- DAV (German Alpine Club)
- SZ (South German newspaper)
- Deutscher Alpenverein
- DIMB (German Mountainbike Initiative)
Insights:
- There is debate and public criticism about the newly proposed mountain biking regulations in Miesbach County, particularly the width limitations on mountain bike paths. The restrictions could potentially negatively impact popular routes for recreational biking, school commutes, and shopping errands.
- Critics argue that narrower paths might cause congestion and user conflicts on mixed-use trails, leading some mountain bikers to resort to less safe and convenient alternatives.
- Encouraging local authorities to evaluate each case individually and create targeted solutions is one solution proposed by mountain biking initiatives to address these conflicts while balancing environmental, social, and sports accessibility concerns.
- The Deutsche Initiative Mountainbike e.V. (DIMB) advocates for responsible mountain biking regulations that prioritize environmental conservation and social cohesion to prevent blanket restrictions on the sport.
- The County of Miesbach is proposing stringent measures against mountain biking, even though these measures could potentially restrict the vocational training of local mountain bike guides and the population's recreational opportunities.
- In light of the debate surrounding the new regulations, the German Alpine Club (DAV) and the German Mountainbike Initiative (DIMB) have highlighted that the path width limit for mountain biking trails, as dictated by the County of Miesbach, may lead to a virtually complete cycling ban for the population in the county, citing various factors such as the extent of landscape protection areas.
- In an attempt to resolve old conflicts and create tailored solutions, a steering group for mountain biking has been formed, consisting of local government representatives and both associations, to evaluate each case individually and provide targeted options for cyclists. The Süddeutsche Zeitung reported on this new development.
