Petition to fight ‘devastating’ closure of Rushmere Country Park bike jumps

They are angry, claiming there has been no consultation, with a petition started to help save the park attracting over 1,300 signatures in two days.

The Greensands Trust announced the dirt jumps at Rushmere Park would be removed as part of forestry work starting on December 8. It stated the decision was taken after a review to consider sustainability – and said the jumps area could not be restored. The wider cross-country trails however, will remain open and be improved.

But the mountain biking community says the decision takes away a vital facility used by riders of all ages and experience. It also affects crews who maintain the facilities and businesses whose livelihoods depend on the site.

Zak Buttle said: “It has been one of the few local community assets for children and adults to get outside and keep healthy. It was a key reason for us and many others in moving to the local area. It is something to be proud of and not to have flattened without consulting those who value it most.

“It’s also worth noting that maintenance and upkeep of the jumps and trails is by volunteers at no cost to Greensand Trust, and they do benefit from both the permits riders purchase, plus the income through parking and the cafe that people have paid while visiting the bike park.”

Riders and volunteers are now urging the Trust to reconsider, protect the features during the felling operation and commit to reinstating the park. Their campaign highlights the social and community value of a grassroots riding, coaching and progression facility, warning that permanent removal risks driving unauthorised trail building and riding into sensitive areas, damaging both the woodland and the strong local community the park has fostered.

Ian Warby of Firecrest Mountain Biking said: “The removal and closure of the Downhill Zone and jumps at Rushmere will be devastating for our local riding community. It takes away years of volunteer effort, removes an accessible place for riders of all ages and abilities to learn, and risks pushing riders into unauthorised, environmentally damaging lines. It’s not just lost dirt; it’s lost community, lost coaching opportunities and a serious blow to the livelihoods that rely on the park.”

Dan Ryan, lead volunteer at Rushmere Ridge Riders Trail Volunteers said: “I’m devastated by the decision to close and remove the dirt jumps and lines. These features represent years of unpaid labour, skill and care from local volunteers and have become the heart of a community that coaches, mentors and keeps the trails safe.

"Losing them removes a vital, accessible progression space for riders of all ages and risks fragmenting the stewardship that protects the wider wood. We hope the Trust will recognise the value of what has been built here and work with us to find a way to protect and reinstate these assets.”

Councillor Mark Versallion backs the campaign, writing to the chief executive of Greensand Trust challenging its plans. He said: “The mental wellbeing benefits alone of getting off tech and out the house should make the Trust think again.

“And removing the jumps is at odds with the Trust’s own charitable aims, to promote access, education and community benefit.

“Rushmere Ridge Riders is a community who have invested time, skills and care into building a supportive space where people learn and look out for each other. Removing the jumps breaks that community fabric and will cause stress and loss for many who rely on Rushmere as their local place to ride.

“Rushmere’s accessibility is central to its value. Many riders cycle to the park rather than use a car, making it inclusive for local younger riders and families.

“By not restoring the jumps, Greensand Trust is underestimating the social value of what has been built there. The volunteers who created and maintain these features do so with care and safety and underpin a thriving, community-led stewardship model.

“I agree with Firecrest Mountain Biking that Greensand Trust needs to better understand the mountain bike community and the way these grassroots projects foster inclusion, community and stewardship.”

His Facebook post attracted a huge response on social media, with one supporter stating: “They've clearly missed the mark on this and it's a devastating blow for the local kids who cycle up there from Leighton, not to mention the kids that put their life and soul into building it for the park. The nearest equivalent is Woburn which is obviously way too far for the local kids to get to.

“At a time where we need kids away from TVs and consoles more than ever these seems like a very poor decision.”

A spokesperson for Greensand Trust said: “We will look to close the bike jump facility at Rushmere Country Park, but the wider cross-country trails will remain open and will be improved upon, once our woodland management work has been carried out.

“These cycling trails will continue to provide excellent opportunity for physical exercise, enable people to build new skills and interact socially with others. There will still be a bike volunteer community that can continue working with us to improve cycling facilities suited to families visiting Rushmere Country Park.

“The closure of the bike jump area is required in order to carry out woodland management work. Trees in the jump area will need to be thinned and the jumps will need to be removed to enable access for vehicles, provide storage and a route for extraction of the timber, to be done safely, whilst keeping the whole park open to the public.

“Woodland management is vital for the long-term health of the park. It involves thinning several commercially planted areas to improve safety and encourage a more diverse landscape. By increasing light levels, we can support a richer field layer and understory, creating habitats for a wide range of wildlife.

“When reviewing the situation for post felling, the Trust has had to carefully consider what is sustainable. Unfortunately, the jump area cannot be restored for its current use. Its specialised requirements and the significant costs involved make it unsustainable to reinstate and manage moving forward.

“We acknowledge that successive volunteer groups have put in a lot of hard work and effort over the years and there is a community of young people who will be disappointed with the decision, however when all is balanced, we feel that our priority should be restoring and improving access to walking, cycling and horse-riding trails, ensuring the park remains welcoming and safe for the widest range of users.

“Rushmere has always aimed to provide cycling opportunities that are inclusive and suitable for all. With major investment being made at the Woburn Bike Park to support new specialist cycling facilities for people of all abilities and other facilities to cater for bike jumpers at the Chicksands Bike Park, Rushmere will focus its resources on enhancing the broader cycling offer for all visitors and other activities suitable to a country park.”