Kites dominated the Westminster skyline this morning when people from all over the country gathered in Parliament Square to show support for a new law to create a continuous walking route around the English coast.
Millions enjoy England’s spectacular coastline every year but there’s currently no legal right for the public to use it. Even a child building a sandcastle on a beach could be trespassing. The Ramblers, Britain’s walking charity, wants everyone to be able to walk the coast with confidence knowing that their route is free from obstacles, diversions and dead ends.
Attending the event was Defra Minister Huw Irranca-Davies and Paddy Tipping MP. The Marine and Coastal Access Bill is currently being debated in the House of Lords before moving on to the Commons in the coming weeks.
In support of the event, Ramblers President Floella Benjamin OBE, says: “We’d like to see as many people as possible given the opportunity to enjoy the coast, as it brings so many benefits. There’s so much to do on the coast from surfing to sailing, sunbathing to snorkelling. Walking on the coast is a wonderful, healthy outdoor activity as well as great fun and it brings extra money to coastal businesses, many of whom are feeling the effects of these hard economic times.”
Tom Franklin, Chief Executive, says: “This new legislation can’t come quickly enough especially with many expected to holiday in the UK this year because of the recession. Existing access can be good, like the South West Coast Path, which generates over 300 million pounds for the regional economy every year, but all too often it’s fragmented and of poor quality. This new law isn’t just about getting a few extra footpaths or sticking plasters over the gaps in the footpath network, it’s about recognising the quality of the natural resource that we are promoting and securing a legal right for everyone to enjoy the coast for generations to come.”
