Islanders are being firmly discouraged from taking part in this year’s St Helens Fort Walk, which for the first time could be considered illegal.
Each August, thousands of people head to the beaches of St Helens and Bembridge to take advantage of the low tides to walk out to St Helens Fort and back. In 2019 an estimated 4,500 people took part.
Known locally as a ‘happening’, there is no set time, date or organiser for the event. For decades the walk has been spread through local gossip and in more recent years, social media.
However, given the current pandemic situation and the law surrounding mass gatherings, the Isle of Wight Council’s Safety Advisory Group has this week met to discuss the multi-agency approach to the 2020 Fort Walk. The joint decision has been taken to discourage people from taking part.
This year the walk could, for the first time, be considered illegal with gatherings of over 30 against the Coronavirus Act 2020.
Access to Duver Road in St Helens will be restricted to emergency vehicles and residents only from 12:00, with no parking cones also implemented on roads surrounding St Helens Green. However, it is thought that the green itself is common land and therefore access cannot be prevented for those wishing to park there.
Isle of Wight Safety Advisory Group is made up of representatives from the emergency services, the NHS, the Isle of Wight Council and other agencies. The group’s main role is to advise on the management and safety of public events.
A spokesman for the group said:
“Please do not put yourselves, volunteers and key workers at risk when we are already stretched by the coronavirus crisis.
“The only way to get to the fort is to cross a very narrow strip of shingle, and it would be impossible to do this safely except in very small numbers.
“Climbing around the fort itself would also be difficult while staying safe, and the shore and parking areas can become crowded.
“Given the thousands of people who now regularly turn up to this event, our clear advice to them is please, stay away this year, and enjoy one of the many safer beaches on the Island instead.”
The joint approach to discourage people from taking part is endorsed by the Isle of Wight Safety Advisory Group, Bembridge Parish Council, St Helens Parish Council, RNLI, Island Roads, the Director of Public Health, the Isle of Wight Council and Hampshire Constabulary.
I’m afraid this warning will be ignored and the usual crowds will take part , but please stay safe if you do it
Its difficult to see how you can make an event illegal which does not exist legally in the first place. Its a ‘happening’ and long may it remain so.
It will break the current rules for controlling the spread of covid. As the story says. “be considered illegal with gatherings of over 30 against the Corona virus Act 2020” I hope people abide by these rules else all the things that have opened up will have to close again. And that will cause even more jobs lost. These rules are what allow you to go to the pub….
I think the comment in this article about parking on the green should be removed. This gives people an idea on how to get around the rules, which given the pandemic situation and ruling on mass gatherings is not responsible in helping to look after our island and protect residents.
You change the law to suit your beliefs. It’s common land and you and the council can’t change it. And I will park on the green or maybe not.
The idea that ‘common’ land is able to be used by anyone for anything is misconceived. It is usually owned by someone or some body, and only certain people have certain rights over it. Just because somthing is known as ‘common’ doesn’t necessarily mean that it is.
There is an offence under the Road Traffic Act of driving on land other than a highway.
[F134Prohibition of driving mechanically propelled vehicles elsewhere than on roads.E+W(1)
Subject to the provisions of this section, if without lawful authority a person drives a mechanically propelled vehicle—
(a)
on to or upon any common land, moorland or land of any other description, not being land forming part of a road, or
(b)
on any road being a footpath, bridleway or restricted byway,
he is guilty of an offence.
So, the riders of quad bikes at priory bay below mean high water are breaking the law?
is common land and parking on it is a breach of local bye laws.
“Technically IWC could prosecute anyone parking on the Green. The Green is not insured as a Car Park and no one is willing to take on the responsibility for its use as such due to the risks involved (and the cost it would require to meet those risks).
“There are of course also concerns about the risk of damage to th – particularly if we have wet weather in advance, which it seems may be a possibility.”
As stated by Councillor Bacon roughly 4 years ago.
You’ll get people turning out for this and blatantly ignoring the request NOT TO DO IT!
Sheep…..they need to be herded. What sensible person would think it’s a safe ‘happening’ when so many more people converge (forget C-19) year on year. A catastrophe waiting to happen.
Life is a catastrophe currently, it can’t get any worse.
If we can, lets just make next year so much better that the event will make news all around the world. 🙂
I expect even MORE people than ever will go this year, just to stick two fingers up to the ‘Don’t do as I do, Do as I say’ authorities.
The chance of catching CV whilst doing such will surely be minimal, yet those always too afraid, or those still living in the past, and still ‘trusting’ authorities are too blind to see that we can happily now risk our children’s lives and future well being by sending them into a crowded, enclosed class room for hours each day, but to have an ozone breezy walk is a no-no.
No wonder Governments and authorities can still control the masses so very easily with such no longer thinking for themselves, weak, naive people around.
Nice thought richard isn’t going to happen. It all depends on if mr trump wins,if he does we have some hope,if not!?