CTC wants MTBers to ask farmers for land access

[MTBrider]

CTC has today welcomed government proposals to spend £1.2m encouraging landowners to voluntarily dedicate their land for public access.

The scheme, put forward by the Department for The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), will fund a Countryside Agency research project, looking at ways to encourage private land to be opened up on a national and regional level.

Rural Affairs minister, Jim Knight said that the project would greatly benefit countryside users, such as cyclists, by raising awareness amongst landowners of the benefits of permitting access to their land.

CTC off-road campaigner, Richard George said: “These proposals are great news for off-road riders and mountain bikers. Encouraging landowners to open up the countryside can only lead to more places to cycle, and we would encourage our members and all cyclists to take advantage of these measures by working with local landowners to ensure that we get the best possible outcome. The government has set the ball rolling: it is up to us to make the most of it.”

It is unclear at present if this initiative will include Northern Ireland, reagardless MTBrider doubts it will have any impact on the countries biggest landowner, Forest Service!

[Anto2]

about time too

[bluntrider]

i have only one problem with that ... it is bullcrap 90% of farmers are just scraping by with what they have and dont need the hassle of us on thier fields no matter how much the government pays them its just too much hassle and the other 10% of farmers that can afford it are rich bastards who wouldnt give you a hand if they had a thousand bored ones
and also the land that they might be able to give up is just too useless to build on unless the government pays for diggers and drivers to build the place up properly

[chris_the_sham]

jees. look for the positive side why dont you. i'm glad there are some of use who have a better outlook on things. the more projects we can get involved in to show what impact mtbing can have the better IMO

[andyh]

Land access is significantly different in GB, for a start there are designated rights of way such as bridelways and footpaths. New Regulations such as right to roam in Scotland mean with a few exclusions you can go where you like.

Northern Ireland is significantly different with few designated paths and trails. CAAN have done a good job in getting some waymarked routes.

http://www.countrysiderecreation.com/

[bluntrider]

sham i am optomistic but the less projects (i dont think this one for example)with more people behind them is better than 100 small projects with 1 person behind them

[chris_the_sham]

i know what you mean but cant put all eggs in one basket

[Reac Photography]

It is unclear at present if this initiative will include Northern Ireland, reagardless MTBrider doubts it will have any impact on the countries biggest landowner, Forest Service!


Says it all really!!!

[dulldave]

i know what you mean but cant put all eggs in one basket

Especially when there is a huge hole in the first basket. Drumlanrig in Scotland is a good example of private land being used for trails.

[Causeway]

I know of a farmer who is keen to have trails on his land. Andy B has been in touch with him, just not sure if things have moved on any further or not. The said farmer already has a few usefull things like camping site, shop/resturant, showers, carparking and means for washing your bike. His land also backs onto a forest, so in the future if FS get their act together then the place could have loads of trails about it. There's also a DH track five minutes drive from the farm. What more could you ask for.