Irish Sub-Group Meeting 3 December 2026

The VSG Irish Sub-Group is pleased to invite members to its next meeting, hosted by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council at Gosford Forest Park, Co. Armagh, BT60 1GD.

The day will combine presentations, site visits and practical discussion, with a particular focus on visitor safety challenges relevant to Gosford and other outdoor recreation sites.

Key visitor safety themes

Issues particularly relevant to the Gosford site include:

• E-bikes and emerging e-powered vehicles – managing their increasing use on routes originally designed for pedestrians and other recreational users.
• Mountain bike trails – considering visitor safety alongside the growing popularity and use of dedicated MTB facilities.
• Natural play areas – balancing opportunities for adventurous and nature-based play with appropriate visitor safety management.

Tentative programme

• 09:30 | Arrival and refreshments
  Tea and coffee on arrival at Gosford Forest Park.
• 10:00 | Welcome and introductions
  Welcome from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, followed by a short introduction to the VSG and Irish Sub-Group.
• Host presentation | Gosford Forest Park
  An overview of the site, its scale and structure, visitor management arrangements, and some of the current visitor safety issues and challenges being experienced. This will help set the scene for the afternoon’s site visits and discussions.
• Late morning | VSG presentation and discussion
  A presentation on a current visitor safety topic, followed by Q&A. The topic is likely to include practical use of the VSG’s risk assessment template.
• Site visit and walk-and-talk discussions
  An opportunity to explore relevant areas of Gosford Forest Park and discuss visitor safety issues in context.
• 12:30 | Lunch
  Soup and sandwiches.
• Afternoon | Site visits and practical discussion
  Further site visits and walk-and-talk discussions, focusing on the visitor safety challenges identified during the morning.
• Review and plenary discussion
  A review of key issues arising from the site visits, including potential control measures and next steps. Delegates will also be invited to share relevant visitor safety issues and experiences from their own sites.
• 16:00 | Close

The final programme will be circulated in mid-November.

Please save the date and share with any colleagues who may be interested in joining – further details and joining information will follow.