PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE MARINE BILL

The Liberal Democrat peers Lord Greaves and Lord Tyler are proposing a welcome amendment to the Marine Bill on behalf of the National Federation of Bridleways Associations (NFBA), and horse riders everywhere. They have actually dared to suggest that the word ‘horse’ should appear in the Bill.

Section 9 of the Marine Bill deals with public access to the coast, and is to be considered by the House of Lords today, 30th March 2009. As matters stand, the Bill will provide a statutory right of access on foot only, and will be authorized under by the CROW Act Section 2.1. This will create a new category of land to be known as the ‘coastal margin’, which will include the foreshore .

Lord Greaves and Lord Tyler propose that the CROW Act Schedule 2 be amended by inserting at the end of paragraph 1c, “or in the case of that part of the Coastal Margin land which is foreshore, a dog or a horse.”

This amendment would go a long way towards protecting the continued enjoyment of access to the foreshore for horse riders which has been overlooked in this legislation. It would also sensibly, give parity with the rights of horse riders in Scotland.

Please be aware that this may not be welcomed by private landowning interests. They claim that access to our coastline can be provided for by environmental stewardship grants, permissive agreements, and dedication of land under section 16 of the CROW Act.

Natural England appear to have been persuaded that this will be adequate. But horse riders already know from experience that is unlikely to be the case:-

Environmental stewardship schemes have been running for some years now and have failed to provide any meaningful access for horse riders on a national basis.
They are temporary arrangements for fixed periods of time and are only capable of providing local solutions.

Permissive access can be removed at any time.

Dedication of access to CROW land under section 16, (which has been possible since the year 2000) has, to date, only provided a pitiful 0.25 of a hectare of access for horse riders.


So good luck to their Lordships and many thanks.