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The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
The biggest change in countryside law for about 50 years has been passed by Parliament, this new Act is usually called the "right to roam" legislation.
The new Countryside and Rights of Way Act gives the public access to large areas of hitherto land such as mountainsides, open moorland, downland, heathland and also to all registered common land in England and Wales. The Government has declared that the "right to roam" will be available by 2005.
One aspect will be the provision of new Ordnance Survey Explorer maps showing precisely where one can set foot and also those area where one can not. So the determining factor is just where the lines are to be drawn.
An ongoing exercise is a mapping process to identify countryside that should have complete public access. So if you have an interest in the countryside and have local knowledge its time to speak up. The Countryside Council for Wales is responsible for the Welsh maps.
Draft maps are being produced from aerial photographs and other information to identify land usage. These maps when published are to be open for public examination and comment. It is at this stage you views should be expressed if you believe the map makers have go it wrong. After consultation revised versions will be made and again made public and there will be a further legal right for appeal for landowners, tenants and those with commoners rights..
The Ramblers Association, farmers and landowners are inspecting the early draft work and the public are being encouraged by the Countryside Council for Wales to provide comments. It is expected that the Draft Maps will be available on the Internet and for Wales the process is to be completed by 2003.
When the mapping exercise is completed and any legal challenges have been resolved the final result will be maps which clearly define which parts of the countryside the public will have the "right to roam".
Futher information can be seen at the Countryside Council for Wales web site for which a link is provided here. .