The Ramblers’ Association, the national walking charity, has welcomed the second reading of the Marine and Coastal Access Bill in the House of Commons today (15 December 2008), if given the green light will allow the public to walk from one end of the English coast to the other, an impossible feat at present.
The proposals are based upon Natural England recommendations for a coastal trail with spreading room on either side, allowing the public access to foreshore, beaches, dunes and cliffs.
Currently access to the coast is patchy at best and many walking routes are diverted inland because of coastal erosion or development.
Justin Cooke, the Ramblers’ Access Campaigner said: “We want the new access to the coast to be spatially broad to allow the public to enjoy the sense of freedom that being at the coast brings, whilst protecting privacy and enhancing biodiversity. We are delighted that the Government is backing its commitment to the spirit of access with flexible and pragmatic proposals to create a national coastal trail.”
Currently the availability and quality of access to the coast varies considerably. The Ramblers has campaigned for greater coastal access since it’s formation in the 1930s and believes that anything less than national legislation would merely continue the present situation.
