Dear Caught by the River,

The following email was sent to me via a friend, it concerns Roger Deakin country, just up the road from where I live.
I thought it may hold interest for your readers,

Cally

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stickleback stream (looking upstream to where it rises 1/3 mile away in Seethings Wood spring, eventually joining the R. Waveney near Diss, 4 miles)

Subject: Please help protect a beautiful green lane in Suffolk

Hello from John & Jenny Farley

Dam Lane, Mellis – experimental traffic restriction order (TRO)

Dam Lane O.S. map refs:
Mellis start: TM 097 753
running north, north west to Wortham/Palgrave A143 End: TM 103 771
Streetmap.

Please help to make the experimental traffic restriction order permanent

Dam Lane, a beautiful green lane which covers 1.6 miles across country, between Mellis Ash Road and the A143, near Wortham, is a historical, local asset, much loved by ramblers, dog walkers and horse riders. It provides easy, sheltered walking to Burgate, Wortham, Palgrave and even Diss (Norfolk/Suffolk Border)!

This ancient green lane leads you to views of hidden pasture and marsh land, to ford a gentle, stickleback stream catching a glimpse of a kingfisher or a deer or two – and much more local flora and fauna. The lane also passes close to an early mediaeval, moated site, next to Seethings Wood which was investigated in the 1930’s by the famous, local archeologist, Basil Brown, discoverer of the Viking long ship at Sutton Hoo.

You can see photos of Dam Lane and it’s locality click here.

The lane is a fragile, historical relic and needs permanent protection. If it was a small, ancient artifact it could be protected in a museum.

But that’s not possible so it needs our protection.

You can help to protect Dam Lane by supporting the recent experimental traffic restriction order placed by Suffolk County Council after they repaired the surface damage caused by ‘off-road’ 4×4 vehicles and motorcycles.

The off-road 4X4s and trail-bikes interest groups have mounted campaigns to oppose the TRO on their various online forums and on Facebook so they will probably get support from ‘off-road’ driving emailers from all over Britain lobbying S.C.C. You can see that your help is vital!

Please support a permanent traffic restriction for Dam Lane in the future by simply stating your support and you can choose to add a reason if you wish, from the following:-

• Save Suffolk County Council (& tax-payers) money spent repairing the lane’s surface.

• Preserve the historic, rural character of the area through which the lane runs.

• Preserve the structure of the lane where it is only suitable for persons on foot or horseback.

• Protect non-vehicle users from the possible danger of physical harm from motor vehicles.

• Prevent vehicles harming aquatic wildlife when driving through the stream.

• Prevent pollutants entering the stream which connects with nature reserves and an SSSI at the nearby parish of Thrandeston.

Email or write, to arrive no later than November 2nd 2013, to:-

Heather.Miller@suffolk.gov.uk
Suffolk Legal, Suffolk County Council, Endeavour House, Russell Road, Ipswich, IP1 2BX
DX 87951 Ipswich Tel (01473) 264184 Fax (01473) 21682

Our sincere thanks and best wishes,

John & Jenny Farley