Access Officer (England & Wales)
Working on the Access is an exciting volunteer opportunity, at the forefront of the campaign to ensure that the right of access to open countryside provides real benefits for the public.
The Countryside and Rights of Way (CRoW) Act 2000 created a new "Right to Roam" over large areas of mountain, moor, heath, down and registered common land which had been previously inaccessible to the public. This right may soon be extended to cover coastal areas.
Access Officers aim to influence the implementation of the Act in their Area, monitoring the work of local authorities and working with other volunteers in the Area to ensure that the Act is implemented to the best advantage of the walking public. They also contribute to the RA's responses on national issues.
In the regions of England and Wales with large amounts of Access land, there are often many volunteers working as Access Officers. There will normally be an Area Access Officer who acts as the main contact point with RA Central Office and who represents the Area on behalf of the RA. He/She works with a team of local Access Officers. Some of these are involved with a local Group and some are not.
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