Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003
Background to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code was approved by the Scottish Parliament on 1 July 2004. The Code provides guidance on responsible behaviour for recreational users and land managers. The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 creates a statutory right of access, if exercised responsibly, and is accompanied by the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and guidance for local authorities. Ramblers Scotland took a leading role in the development of both the code and the legislation. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) had a statutory duty to prepare this Code and undertook a public consultation before making recommendations to the Scottish Executive.
The Code was then introduced to the Parliament by the Executive. The Justice 1 Committee of the Scottish Parliament was appointed to consider the code and sought views from interested parties. Ramblers Scotland submitted written evidence to the Committee, which considered the code on 30 June - taking oral evidence from the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development, Allan Wilson. The final version of the Code was approved by the Parliament on 1st July 2004. It is a fairly long document but very accessible and easy-to-read. The text can be accessed on the Scottish Natural Heritage outdoor access website -
http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/upload/Full%20Access%20Code.pdf
The legislative framework provided by the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, along with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, provides Scotland with outdoor access arrangements which are better than any other European country. This should be recognised as one of the main achievements of the Parliament and Scottish Executive in the years following the establishment of devolved government.
