Government rides roughshod over rights of local people
The Growth and Infrastructure Bill has today been introduced in the House of Commons. Says Kate Ashbrook, our general secretary, ‘It contains damaging measures which will severely restrict the opportunity for local people to register rights they have established over a twenty year period (1), where they have used land for recreation, and to have…
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Common land: a manifesto for horse-riders
We shall today propose a manifesto for horse-riders on common land. Our case officer, Nicola Hodgson, is speaking at the British Horse Society’s National Access Conference at Stoneleigh. Says Nicola: ‘Common land is immensely important for recreational horse-riding. It provides extensive areas of open country where people can ride safely, in wonderful landscapes which have…
Read MoreOSS again recommended as appointing body to National Trust Council
The Open Spaces Society is a current appointing body to the National Trust Council. A ballot is held every six years for the election of 26 organisations which will have the right to appoint someone as a member of the Council. Our appointee is Beverley Penney who has done an excellent job for us. We…
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Slow the traffic on unfenced commons
We have called for a universal speed-limit of 40 mph where unfenced roads cross common land. The society has responded to a consultation from the Department for Transport on the revision of its speed-limit circular. The Department favours a speed limit of 40 mph for roads ‘with a predominantly local, access or recreational function’ and…
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Government’s rural statement underplays vital role of paths and spaces
‘The government should invest in public paths and green spaces to achieve its aim of improving the rural economy,’ says our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook commenting on the government’s Rural Statement published today (12 September). ‘By underplaying the role of these vital assets government misses a massive trick.’ ‘There is a brief mention in the…
Read MoreRescue our secret paths before they are lost for ever
We have called for no implementation of the 2026 cut off for claims to add paths to the definitive map of rights of way until there is in place an efficient system for ensuring that path claims are processed swiftly, and every route which is likely to be a public highway has been claimed. We…
Read MoreCommons Training Day
We will be running a training day with Footprint Ecology on Wednesday 27 June which is designed to help land managers and others with an interest in commons to understand their rights and responsibilities and how to go about preparing for, and taking forward, management planning and works on common land. It will be run…
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New plans for hidden highways
We are pleased that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is today (Monday 14 May) launching a public consultation about plans to make it easier to get England’s official map of public paths up to date. The ‘definitive’ maps of rights of way are lamentably incomplete. There are many public footpaths, bridleways…
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Natural England announces next phase of coastal access
We are delighted that, in the week when the Wales Coast Path was opened, Natural England has announced that it will start work on access to the next five stretches of England’s coast. These are: Durham, Hartlepool and Sunderland (Seaton Carew to South Bents) Cumbria (Allonby to Whitehaven) Kent (Ramsgate to Folkestone) Norfolk (Weybourne to…
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Spotlight on commons
BBC Radio 4 Farming Today is this week shining the spotlight on our common land. In every programme from 30 April to 4 May there is an interview about commons and their role in present-day society. The OSS was featured on Chorleywood Common, Hertfordshire, on Friday 4 May, discussing the parish council’s contentious fencing scheme…
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