Motorists who took a short cut across Monken Hadley Common to avoid road closure notices have turned much of the grass into a muddy morass and left deep tyre marks -- even damaging the much loved cricket pitch.

A burst water main at the Monken Hadley junction which is formed by Camlet Way and the roadway alongside Hadley Common blocked through traffic from Friday through to Tuesday, but numerous drivers took no notice.

Monken Hadley Common Trust and Barnet Council are to hold discussions with Affinity Water to ask the company to pay for restoration of the grassland.

A wide area will need to be rolled level and then reseeded in the spring.

Volunteers from the trust blamed poor signage and a lack of barriers for contributing to the problem.

This allowed cars, vans, and motorcycles, especially those approaching the junction along Camlet Way, to get too close to the road closure.

Instead of turning round many took a short cut across the common and headed down to New Barnet. Some vehicles got stuck in the mud.

Affinity Water installed more barriers on Monday but much of the damage had already been done over the weekend.

Some volunteers and nearby residents tried to remonstrate with the offending motorists but as late as Tuesday motorcyclists were still taking a short cut across the cricket pitch despite the protestations of local inhabitants. Two cars had to be pulled out of the mud on Monday and residents are asking why Barnet Council has failed to take action against the drivers who have committed an offence under the new Public Spaces Prohibition Order by driving on to "a park or public green space without permission".

Closure of the route through Monken Hadley towards Camlet Way and New Barnet only increased congestion across Hadley Green because of road works at the junction of Barnet High Street and St Albans Road.

After Parliamentary approval last April of the Monken Hadley Common Bill, the Monken Hadley Common Trust officially took over control of the common last December – a role previously fulfilled by the churchwardens of Monken Hadley parish church.

Monken Hadley Common is thought to be the seventh largest stretch of common land in Greater London, and it is now owned and managed by the trust.

Establishing charitable status was considered the most efficient way to ensure the land is maintained for public recreation and nature conservation.