At the February committee meeting of WCMS, it was agreed that more information should be provided on the background to the work that has been done at Merstham, and on future access to the Bedlams Bank workings there. There was a feeling that lack of information may result in wrong conclusions being made about the role of WCMS in the tightening up of access to these mine-workings.
Background
Following the unfortunate circumstances which led to some acrimony between WCMS and one of the landowners at Quarry Dean, Merstham, WCMS resolved to place our hitherto fairly informal relationship with the owners of the neighbouring Bedlams Bank quarry on a firmer footing. We were concerned that if similar misunderstandings about cavers' activities at Bedlams Bank had arisen, then there was a significant risk that access to all the mines at Merstham would cease.
The Agents
Details of our then arrangement with the agents were sent to them as a reminder, asking for confirmation that our activities on the property were still in order. The agents requested a meeting with us, at which we could discuss our request in detail, face to face. At that meeting, the agents emphasized that their main priority was to minimise liability to the owners, and that the simplest way to do this would be to fill the entrances in. They were, fortunately, speaking hypothetically, but they were making a valid point. We spent some time outlining the history of cavers' activity at the site, going back some 40 years. We emphasised the archaeological and historical importance of the site, and our long-standing record of research and investigation.
The agents were concerned that the entrances should be secured. We described the work we had done at our expense in previous years to good effect at Godstone, where secure access has been maintained by us, and the owners interests were thereby well protected. The agents thought that a similar arrangement would be acceptable. The arrangement for most of the Godstone sites is that properly equipped cavers may enter the mines provided the entrances are kept secure, and that the bat hibernation season restrictions are respected. In practice, WCMS maintains the locks, and has issued keys to those cavers who visit the sites on more than just an occasional basis. We have a 'can do' attitude for anyone, caver or otherwise, who wants to look around.
WCMS has a long-standing licence agreement with the local authority to undertake certain activities in the Reigate Caves, and we suggested that a similar arrangement might be the best way to formalise our permission to enter the Bedlams Bank workings.
The agents were quite adamant that they did not want 'youth groups' running trips into the mines, even though we emphasised the value of such activities.
The meeting ended quite up beat, and we waited for the wheels to start turning. This was in the spring of 2005.
The Licence
We provided some helpful ideas on what should be in the licence, such as a requirement to follow NAMHO exploration and conservation guidelines. The document went into force in May 2006. The following issues presented WCMS with an awkward challenge. Despite other landowners in the UK being satisfied with cavers having £2M PL insurance cover, the agents could not be persuaded to reduce the level of required cover from £5M. The agents also insisted that when the entrance was secured, they would not permit us to issue keys to third parties, as has been our practice at Godstone. This second issue has given us some serious problems. More of this later.
The Entrance
Our commitment to improve the security of the entrance was not actioned until the crops in the surrounding field had been harvested, so we could drive vehicles to a convenient access point without causing any damage. Problems experienced with on-site welding means that the final task of installing the gate has yet to be done. This has been further affected by very muddy conditions. The gate will be a steel plate secured to a steel frame by a padlock.
Access
Because we are not permitted to issue keys to third parties, we had to come up with a solution that would not necessarily deny access to those who are not WCMS members.
Our £5M PL insurance cover for Bedlams Bank provides cover for WCMS trips and includes guests. So provided any trip into the system is arranged by WCMS, the insurance will cover it. This was specifically requested of the insurers so we could accommodate non-WCMS cavers who wanted to continue to visit Bedlams Bank. So the onus is very much on WCMS to provide help to non-members when they want to visit the mine. We are fully aware that there are cavers who do visit the mine and know their way around it without a leader. However, under the conditions imposed on us, there is in theory no way we can just lend a key and let them get on with it. This presents us with an awkward situation, since some of the non-WCMS cavers who visit probably know the mines just as much as we do.
It is a medium-term aim of WCMS to have the awkward restrictions on access lifted in the future, to the extent that we will be able to issue keys to third parties, much as we have done at Godstone. Meanwhile, we have to respect the conditions placed on us. I suspect that changes will only come with time as we demonstrate goodwill to the landowner, and a responsible approach to activities on their land.
Conclusion
Even though the outcome of our discussions with the agents are not ideal, provided the agents continue to observe us acting responsibly, there is every chance that access in some form or another will continue indefinitely on a proper basis. WCMS, as at Godstone, want to have a 'can do' attitude to access for all. WCMS aims to have access procedures to Bedlams Bank relaxed as far as is practical within the terms laid down by the agents.
Postscript
A comment has been heard that WCMS took the actions we did as a means to increase our membership numbers. We do not need to increase our membership levels, which have been very healthy for a number of years. An increase in membership numbers actually costs us money, since income from other sources allows us to keep our membership fees down, and the more members we have, the greater is the pressure on this 'subsidy.'
