Here’s a quick summary of our access & political lobbying work in 2003:

Snowdonia Unitary Development Plan - mapping out planning policy for the National Park over future years. The BMC will be responding to the consultation to protect climbing, hill walking and mountaineering interests. If you want to know more about the plans go to www.eryri-udp.co.uk Secondary legislation and guidance notes - The BMC has responded to many English and Welsh government consultations to protect the interests of climbers and hill walkers, including: · Legislation for reclassifying ‘Roads Used as Public Paths’ as restricted byways. · Changes to agricultural management of common land. · A Code of Practice for highway authorities for compensating landowners where new Rights of Way are created. · New National Parks, the South Downs and Cairngorm, Scotland. · Protocol for closures to land for Foot and Mouth, should there be another outbreak. · Encouraging positive partnerships a very positive approach to managing Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Guidance to relevant authorities for dealing with applications for restrictions to access on CroW land. (e.g. for nature conservation, land management operations). The BMC continues to influence both the Countryside Agency (CA) and Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) on implementing the restrictions system. Regulations relating to relaxing of restrictions to activities on CRoW land (such as camping and horse-riding), i.e. having the welcome effect of widening the range of activities that may occur as of statutory right on CRoW access land. The BMC is continuing to lobby government on this issue and the inclusion of education and training activities within the statutory right of access, including meetings with ministers and government officials. Mapping for CRoW access land across England and Wales, and correcting errors in CRoW maps. The BMC, through its volunteer access representative network, has made 100's of responses to the Countryside Agency and CCW on the draft maps of open country for the CRoW Act and have attend appeal hearings to get the best deal for climbers and hill walkers from the legislation. Revision of the Country Code in England and Wales. The Country Code is currently under review, the BMC has already responded to an initial consultation. If you have views on what should be included check out www.countryside.gov.uk The draft Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC). The Access & Conservation Trust sponsored a project, to assess the implications of the SOAC, for climbers and hill walkers; this helped the BMC and Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) formulate their responses to protect your interests. Shieldaig Hydro-Electric Power scheme. The BMC supported the MCofS, by writing to the Scottish Parliament to question the legitimateness of the threat of Hydroelectric power development in this fantastic wilderness area.

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