Government Consultation on Access to Coast

[JimW]

Hi all,

The Government through Defra has just lauched the latest Consultation dealing with Access to the Coast.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/coast-access/index.htm

whilst this is mainly about planning to set up a Coastal Corridor that everyone can have access to it will obviously impact on divers and the access we have to the sea.

BSAC will be responding to the Consultation but if anyone wants to contribute any comments on the Consultation you can either post them here or email them to jimw@bsac.com

Jim:cool:

[Mike Halligan]

this is mainly about planning to set up a Coastal Corridor that everyone can have access to

Oh, whacko, a smugglers' charter!

Does this mean I get back my cutlass, horse and tricorn hat? :D :D (I find them so much more fetching than the muddy off-green bowler imposed during the recent takeover.:o )

Can we lift people for wearing masks on that corridor? :cool: What about if they're carrying lights, can we shoot them once again? Or must we wait until darkness falls?

[GaryC]

Hi all,

The Government through Defra has just lauched the latest Consultation dealing with Access to the Coast.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/coast-access/index.htm

whilst this is mainly about planning to set up a Coastal Corridor that everyone can have access to it will obviously impact on divers and the access we have to the sea.

BSAC will be responding to the Consultation but if anyone wants to contribute any comments on the Consultation you can either post them here or email them to jimw@bsac.com

Jim:cool:

My first observation before looking this... is that BSAC have not been involved in the consultation process. AND it does not appear to be a small list.

Gary

[Richard Greenwood]

My first observation before looking this... is that BSAC have not been involved in the consultation process. AND it does not appear to be a small list.

Gary

But the Sub-Aqua Association has!!

[R.Burgess]

Access to the coast means different things to different people. I often dive from the shore. In practical terms the average diver can porter their dive kit a few hundred yards. There are places I'd like to explore where the only access to the shore is through forestry roads or park roads. On the west coast of Scotland these access roads are open to pedestrians cyclists and equestrians but there are barriers preventing vehicle access. Access to the coast for scuba diving requires a right of way for vehicle access.

[Greem]

There are places I'd like to explore where the only access to the shore is through forestry roads or park roads. On the west coast of Scotland these access roads are open to pedestrians cyclists and equestrians but there are barriers preventing vehicle access. Access to the coast for scuba diving requires a right of way for vehicle access.

As far as my (skim) reading of the paper goes, this is about creating or improving access to the coast via footpath and bridleway over what is currently inaccessible land (whether privately owned or not).

Section 1.4 states "This work is confined to the English coast". The Welsh Assembly is running its' own coastal access programme, and the Scottish Parliament have already passed laws to improve "rights of responsible access" - but that doesn't necessarily mean vehicular rights of way. I wouldn't expect that we'd get much improvement in England either, to be honest.

Anyway: this is why we have boats, isn't it? :)

Graeme