Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2007 | Page 63
COUNTRYSIDE, WILDLIFE & FARMING
life
spring and summer months.
John would like to see a
By-ways are often ancient
radical shake up of current
and historic tracks designed
‘unproductive’ footpaths,
for use by walkers and
consolidating them to become
horse and carts and as such
sensible and convenient routes
cannot withstand the abuse
acceptable to landowners
of motorised vehicles. The
and users alike. The process
Council have indicated that if
has started, but it isn’t going
future and continued disregard
to happen overnight. A lot of
of these paths continues
thought and hard work has
the ban may well spread.
already gone into planning
There are many questions to
routes, however there is still
be answered: Will landowners
a great deal to do, signeage
be compensated? What about
to prepare and a lot of
security? Will sensitive areas
understanding. Level-headed
and wildlife be protected?
negotiation is going to be
And who will be responsible
required by all parties. John
for maintenance or if someone
feels that a good joined up
were to fall over a log?
network of public access
These are obstacles that John
routes is a fundamental
is anticipating, he doesn’t yet
foundation to a sustainable
have answers for all of them
tourist industry on our Island.
and is positive, in his forward
thinking, that there is a solution.
Cllr. John Hobart can
He recognises the need for
be contacted at john.
consultation and is proactive
[email protected].
in his vision of ‘car free
enjoyment of the Isle of Wight’.
Everybody needs to work
together
move
this 22/5/06 2:23 pm Page 1
ADBW_27 toM help
Legge
136x97
important issue forward.
For a more personal
approach to insurance,
pensions & Investments
the idea that there should be
access to the entire coast of
the United Kingdom in the
form, possibly, of a 10 metre
corridor. They have also put
forward three other options
which involve use of the
highways Act, the CROW Act
and Permissive Agreements.
This has already started in
some West Country counties,
Wales, and is in existence
around most of Scotland. If
this were to happen on the
island, there could be linking
paths to roadways and
parking areas, so that people
could join the coastal route in
different locations. The route
would take in the beach, cliff
tops and, where necessary,
move inland to negotiate
creeks or avoid disturbance to
special features and habitats.
New ‘open areas’ would be
created and sympathetically
landscaped to encourage
people to visit and picnic.
But where people have
access, this is sometimes
abused. The IW Council have
just closed the Tennyson Trail
to 4x4 users, because of
continued damage, allowing
only limited access to
successful applicants in the
Island Life - www.isleofwight.net
To find out more call
Matt Legge on 522290
Visit NFU Mutual Office,
Gunville Road,
Carisbrooke
PO30 5FP
NFU Mutual is The National Farmers Union Mutual
Insurance Society Ltd (No. 111982). Registered in England.
Registered Office: Tiddington Road, Stratford upon Avon,
Warwickshire CV37 7BJ.
It’s an NFU Mutual understanding
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