Plans are underway to reopen Rufford Ford in Nottinghamshire, a historic water crossing that gained notoriety through viral TikTok and YouTube videos, after it was closed for safety reasons three years ago. The county council is proposing to reintroduce the ford with new traffic calming measures, sparking a heated debate between supporters who miss the local tradition and opponents concerned about public safety.
Rufford Ford, located in Rufford Lane, has been a feature of the landscape for centuries, long predating the invention of motor vehicles. For generations, it served as a charming local attraction where families would gather to watch vehicles splash through the shallow waters. However, the rise of social media around 2020 transformed the ford into a global sensation, with videos of cars navigating the crossing amassing millions of views on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. This newfound fame led to what authorities described as a “dangerous escalation of exhibitionist behavior,” culminating in the ford’s closure in December 2022 following a serious incident where a motorcyclist was thrown from his bike and broke his leg.
Nottinghamshire County Council has now put forward proposals to reopen the ford, accompanied by a suite of traffic calming measures designed to address safety concerns. These include deflection methods to slow vehicle speeds, flood gates that can be closed during high water levels, and CCTV cameras monitored by the council. Councillor Bert Bingham, the cabinet member for transport and environment, emphasized that the council has taken an evidence-based approach, acknowledging the strongly polarized opinions within the community. A further consultation on the traffic calming scheme is planned, allowing residents to have their say on the future of the ford.
Support for reopening the ford is led by Michelle Welsh, the Labour MP for Sherwood Forest, who has fond childhood memories of the site. Welsh argues that the closure has caused significant disruption to local travel routes, diverting traffic into nearby villages like Ollerton and impacting farmers and businesses. She has been actively campaigning for the ford’s reopening, stressing that nostalgia is not her primary motivation but rather the practical need to restore a key transport link. Local residents like Steve Long from Ollerton echo this sentiment, reporting increased traffic and conflicts on their narrow conservation-area roads since the closure.
On the other side of the debate, opposition to reopening the ford comes from Nottinghamshire Police, the fire service, and some residents who fear a return to the unsafe conditions that prompted the closure. Jonathan Ball, a parish councillor who lives on Rufford Lane, recalls large crowds gathering on weekends, encouraging drivers to speed through the ford and creating hazards for pedestrians and cyclists. He believes that reopening the ford would undo the safety gains made over the past three years and lead to a resurgence of anti-social behavior.
The social media phenomenon that brought Rufford Ford to international attention is cited as a key factor in the safety issues. A council report notes that the viral videos attracted “digital creators” from across the country, leading to overcrowding and risky behavior. YouTuber Midlifecrisis101x, one of the early filmmakers at the ford, acknowledged that the situation became unmanageable, describing it as a “circus” in its final days. He supports reopening with traffic calming, suggesting that such measures should have been implemented sooner to prevent the problems.
The council’s proposal follows a change in leadership from the Conservatives to Reform, with the former transport lead, Neil Clarke, having opposed reopening. The previous consultation revealed deep divisions: while 12 residents within two miles and nine from the wider area supported the closure, 58 nearby residents and 136 from further afield objected to it. This split underscores the challenge facing the council as it seeks a balanced solution.
Looking ahead, the upcoming consultation on the traffic calming scheme will be crucial in determining the ford’s fate. Councillor Bingham has encouraged broad participation to help shape a safe and acceptable outcome. If approved, the reopening could occur within the next year, but it must carefully balance the desire to preserve a piece of local heritage with the imperative to ensure public safety in the age of social media.