Walking matters archive

We have welcomed the inclusion today (12th September) of support for public access as part of the new Agriculture Bill something we have been calling for in our Your Path Awaits Campaign.

Ramblers Scotland has joined forces with six other charities to call for funding from the Vehicle Excise Duty to be invested in walking in cycling in Scotland.

It may come as no surprise that both coalition parties are seeking to sweeten the years of belt-tightening austerity but the extra investment in infrastructure and health has particularly attracted our attention.

The Infrastructure Bill had its second reading in the House of Lords on 18 June. Ahead of the reading we briefed seventy peers on our response to the proposals.

For the first time, Scotland now has a high level commitment to develop a national walking and cycling network within the National Planning Framework which was published yesterday. When fully developed, this network of long distance routes will enable people to exploit the opportunities on their doorsteps for walking and cycling, both for leisure purposes and for everyday trips.

Ramblers Scotland has welcomed the Scottish Government’s announcement on the greater protection of wild land through the ban on any wind farms in National Parks or National Scenic Areas and the adoption of Scottish Natural Heritage’s map of core wild land areas.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has reiterated that English farmers must maintain public rights of way or face losing EU subsidies.

We joined other outdoor organisations in Westminster to launch a new report which shows the popularity of outdoor activities and the benefits it brings for the UK economy.

On 3 May, Huntingdon MP Jonathan Djanogly joined local Ramblers for a walk through Ouse Estuary Nature Reserve.

In the run up to the 2015 General Election we’ve been encouraging our local groups to go for a walk with their MP.