‘Deeds, not words’

Our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, urges the government to keep up the Labour tradition of legislation for public access in town and country.

Jess Phillips, resigning on 12 May as Safeguarding Minister, summed it up well. She wrote to the Prime Minister: ‘Every Labour government in my and my family’s lifetime has forged progress that changed our country and the world for the better. I know you care deeply, but deeds, not words are what matter.’

That’s how we feel in the access movement. We cherish the fact that every post-war Labour government has made a stride forward for public access and countryside protection: the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, the Countryside Act 1968, the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, the Commons Act 2006, the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009—but now?

Not done

There have been words: a green paper on access to nature, repeal of the 2031 cut-off for claiming paths for definitive maps, legislation to strengthen the powers for national parks and national landscapes, action to ensure that everyone has access to green or blue spaces within 15 minutes’ walk of home—all promised but not done.

The government has celebrated the England Coast Path and the Coast-to-Coast National Trail, but these long preceded today’s ministers. Every answer to parliamentary questions refers to the nine national river walks and three new national forests—with no indication of how they will provide new, permanent access for the people who need it most.

The king’s speech contained not a whisper about public access—and now only two further sessions of this parliament remain. The green paper must be published this year if there is to be any hope of implementation before the next election.

Much of what it should say has already been set out by the all-party parliamentary group on outdoor recreation and access to nature in its recommendations to government.

Waiting

The Deregulation Act 2015, which will speed the addition of paths to the definitive map, is still waiting to be implemented. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) needs to recall the stakeholder working group, which devised the provisions, to sort out the detail. But at Defra no one seems interested in public rights of way.

These are only two of many possible quick wins. At the department silence reigns.

This year we celebrate the centenary of the Campaign to Protect Rural England and the ninetieth birthday of the Campaign for National Parks. Both were born in difficult times—but when the Labour government took office at the end of the second world war it legislated boldly for people’s well-being. This government, with its large majority, could and should do the same.

Outdoor organisations must press Labour to live up to its tradition and act now—before it is too late.

Header image: Magda Vrabetz