Environment Food and Rural Affairs written question – answered at on 18 January 2007.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the policy is of his Department on encouraging equestrian access to the countryside.
We have worked closely with both the British Horse Society and British Horse Industry Confederation on the production of the joint "Horse Industry Strategy for England and Wales" which was launched in December 2005. Improved equestrian access features strongly in the strategy which is available from the Defra website at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/horses/topics/strategy.htm.
The Government are committed to improving access for equestrians by increasing the number of bridleways and improving the off-road riding and driving network. A number of current initiatives, such as Rights of Way Improvement Plans and the Discovering Lost Ways Project, aim to achieve this objective. Local access forums also play an important role in pressing the case for equestrian access in the development of the bridleway network.
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Adrian Walls
Posted on 19 Jan 2007 5:51 pm (Report this annotation)
Don't get fooled again...... another DEFRA sourced spin.....The WAG / Countryside Council for Wales have decided the cost of "Lost Ways" in Wales is well beyond any value and have not nor ever will put any money aside to do the necessary research as in England hence in 2026 we will have some great coastal paths , the Rights of Way Improvement Plans will have created some useful recreational routes for walkers and the disabled. MIles of unrecorded bridleways and old roads belonging to the public and only lost because of historical failings of local government re-organisation since 1850 will be handed back free of charge to landowners.... ensuring cyclists and horseriders gained little from the CROW Act 2000 and lost miles of route necessary to make their hotch poth of a network of any value... all ministers must be card carrying ramblers as they seem to get all they want. and of course Wales has a devolved mess.. go and ask the Byways and Bridleways Trust or IMBA