The Ramblers campaigned for a public right to walk on open countryside for more than 70 years. Our efforts were rewarded in 2000 when the Countryside and Rights of Way Act (CRoW) was passed.
As a result of the CRoW Act, some 936,000 hectares - an area roughly equivalent to the size of Cyprus - of the wildest and most beautiful areas of open countryside in England are now open to walkers. Of this, 733,000 hectares is land to which no right of access previously existed. For example, when the new right of access commenced, the amount of land legally accessible to walkers in the Yorkshire Dales leapt from 4% to 64% overnight.
The CRoW Act has been in force across the whole of England for almost four years. All the indications are that it is working well in practice. Measures put in place to protect nature conservation, privacy, public safety and the interests of landowners are proving successful.
Under the Act, the maps showing where the new rights of access apply must be reviewed every ten years. The first of these reviews (to be conducted by Natural England) is due to begin at the end of 2011, and must be completed by 2014-2015. Over the coming year, Natural England and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will be developing their approach to the review of maps, in consultation with stakeholders.
The Ramblers strongly supports the CRoW Act and wants to see the benefits of the legislation extended. We hope that this review will provide an opportunity to increase public access on foot to open landscapes and to improve the experience of walkers who visit these areas.
We would be pleased to hear your comments as to what specific improvements the Ramblers should seek. For example, should we aim to increase access to downland? Or focus our efforts on improving the management of access land?
Please send your thoughts to walking.environmnet@ramblers.org.uk by 6 January 2010.
For further information about the review of maps of access land, please go to Natural England's website.
