Risk Assessment can be viewed here.

Update January 2026

Elsing P C is the trustee of the charity that owns the former Highway Surveyor's land on Heath Road.  The trustee is expected to manage this land as an "amenity".  The area has been used by villagers for longer than anyone can remember, including as a picnic and celebration place for worshippers at the Chapel just up the hill.  Children have played there and erected swings from the trees and more recently made earth jumps for mountain bikes.

The Parish Council holds public liability insurance for land owned by the council and this cover included the former Highway Surveyor's land.  The Parish Council checked with the insurers that children using the jumps would be covered and were informed that the insurance company would not cover the jump because it had not been build by a professional.  Since learning this, the Parish Council has been considering how best to approach the issues of safety and liability while interfering as little as possible in the fun children and young people have, using the site as a place o ride their bicycles.

The Parish Council has sought advice from the UK Mountain Bike Trail Alliance, British Cycling and mountain biking publications.

We have been approaching companies that build and own mountain bike tracks and asking for estimates for the design of a track that could be insured.  None of the companies we have found are interested in simply designing a track that could be built by volunteer labour and the cost of hiring a company to design and build a track is prohibitive.  Also the Parish Council does not wish to develop the site so as to encourage increased use; already the site can be busy with visiting young people and the Parish Council would prefer to reduce this usage rather than increase it.

We have shown videos of the main jump in use to the companies we have approached and all have remarked that the jump seems well planned.  This may be correct, however the jump is undoubtedly for experienced riders and should not be attempted by a novice.  There is obvious risk involved.  The Parish Council has not been able  to find a way to secure insurance for the site and there seems little hope of doing this.  The Parish Council would like the jump to be safer and more accessible to younger and novice riders and will be investigating ways of achieving this.  We would like to liaise with users of the jump and work towards finding a solution that keeps the site interesting for all cyclists.  However, this will not mean that the existing main jump can remain unchanged.   ​​

Update November 2025

At the Parish Council meeting on November 3rd the matter of the apparent impossibility of insurance - and therefore the Parish Council's liability for accidents - was discussed at length.  All Parish Councillors also met at the Jumps on Heath Road on Sunday 16th and, after discussion with a number of boys and much soul-searching, reached these initial decisions.

1. To make preparations to remove the most extreme peaks and throughs;

2. In advance of that, and long overdue, to fell a tall dead tree next to the launch pad.

These decisions were not unanimous but the Parish Council must follow its majority.  It is not the end of the matter and we continue to seek advice from all quarters about managing liability and making the site insurable.

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Update April 2026

Over the winter, the Parish Council's policy has been to take a look occasionally but otherwise to take no action, pending enquiries to fin an inspection body.  One dead tree was felled, the logs are available to collect, but must in any case be removed soon.   After great efforts, an inspection from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) was engaged to look at the site on April 7th.  He met Parish Councillors, spoke with some children present (who impressed (him) and spent 4 hours on his own collecting his thoughts.  We noted that the launch pad has been removed - just as well, since he would almost certainly have required that.  We await his report and recommendations.  This inspection will not change the fact that there is no insurance against accidents at the Jumps.

​New Regulations as at August 2026 (following  a meeting at the Jumps on Wednesday 6th August}.

Elsing Parish Council has had the Jumps inspected by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).  The recommendations were that the layout of the Jumps can basically remain as it is but that more care is necessary by everyone, as explained by the following rules.  They will be displayed on site as well as the Parish Council's website. which is

brecklandparish.wixsite.com/elsingpc)and maybe updated as needed.

1. There are 3 jumps as viewed from the starting point (see map).  The path on the far right (dotted line) next to the adjoining property is now out of use.  No riding, no digging or excavation.  To the left of it are 2 jumps (no 1 and no 2) roughly parallel, classed as 'advanced'.  Next comes the 'push-up' path.  Finally 1 more jump (no 3) on the far left is 'moderate'.

2.The more dialogue there is with parents, the more secure the Jumps will be.  Please stay in touch with Cllr Oliver Laws on email (oliverlaws@btinternet.com} or Cllr

Bill Horncastle

on (clive.horncastle@gmail.com

3. The actual Jumps must not include any built structure using wood or metal, such as the ramp which was the until some months ago.

4. Other structures, such as the shelter,

are allowed.  Planks for building must be stored in a safe place with nails flattened and tools should be kept in or next to the shelter.

5. Nothing which could cause injury should be left where it lies.  Tidy it up or we will take it away.

6. The rules displayed on the notices still apply and may also be updated.

KEEP THIS IN MIND AND HAVE FUN

B.H. & O.L.

​​Update September 2025

The Parish Council monitors at every meeting the use of its land as cycle 'jumps'.  While we remain pleased to see children having such fun, we are concerned for their safety and our liability.  We regularly make enquiries on both those matters. The site is not without controversy but continues to have our conditional support. It has visitors from a wide area, well beyond Elsing, to the point where our own youngsters feel marginalised. If you are a parent, you have the ultimate responsibility for what happens to your child, so do visit and walk around. You can comments to us via this website. You should be aware that the Council's insurers have, after thorough negotiations, declined to cover any accidents that may happen. Petty vandalism has been an issue. Those who 'ringed' the bark of trees seem to have stopped but pilfering from adjacent gardens has not. An incident earlier in the year was reported to the Police. The site changes constantly. There is now one (higher) launching pad, currently in sound condition. The litter situation is manageable and a new larger barrier is in place. Our next Parish Council meeting is on Monday November 3rd. Please come along and contribute. 

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