Call establishing and extending cyclists’ statutory access rights and removing landowner liabilities.
The UK MTB Trail Alliance writes…
The UK MTB Trail Alliance has contributed to a pivotal report launched by the new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Outdoor Recreation and Access to Nature. It calls for legislation to expand everyone’s access to green and blue spaces, and for the legislation to include increased access rights for mountain bikers and reduced landowner liability. The report gathered views from over 750 organisations and individuals from across the outdoor sector and includes 40 recommendations in total.
The report includes all three of the UK MTB Trail Alliance’s main asks in its recommendations to the government:
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- Establish statutory rights to responsible access across a broader range of landscapes, including woodlands
- Extend statutory access rights for a broader range of recreational activities, including mountain biking
- Reduce landowners’ concerns about mountain biking by removing any liability associated with physical features on their land
The report also asks the government to simplify the process for upgrading suitable public footpaths to allow cycling, to require that stiles on public rights of way are replaced with accessible alternatives within five years, and to overhaul the Countryside Code and Land Managers’ Code to actively promote public access rights, inspire outdoor activity, and embed responsible behaviour.
If the UK Government were to implement the report’s recommendations, it could mean that woodland is included alongside mountain, moor, heath, down and common land as access land in England, and that mountain bikers could have a right to ride tracks and paths on that access land (which we do not under current legislation). Importantly, reduced liability for landowners would go a long way to ease their concerns about mountain biking on their land. Potentially, it could also mean more footpaths being upgraded to bridleways, and fewer stiles to lug your bikes over.
The UK MTB Trail Alliance has been working to advocate for greater access rights for mountain bikers since its inception. It has been an active member of Outdoors for All for the last 18 months, a coalition of over 50 organisations campaigning to extend responsible access in England, which has successfully led to the creation of the new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Outdoor Recreation and Access to Nature and the publication of this report. The UK MTB Trail Alliance is also a member of Outdoor Alliance Wales, which is campaigning for a similar extension of responsible access in Wales, and is a corresponding member of both the National Access Forum for Wales and the Scottish National Access Forum.
Robin Grant, UK MTB Trail Alliance: “We’re feeling really optimistic about the All-Party Parliamentary Group including our three main asks in their report’s recommendations to the UK Government. If implemented, they would represent a monumentally positive change for mountain biking in England, and potentially also influence reform in Wales and Northern Ireland. If you want to help make this happen, please write to your local MP urging them to join the APPG and for them to lobby for the legislation the report recommends.”
The group is led by the Labour MPs Andy MacNae, Phil Brickell and Polly Billington.
McNae, the Labour MP for Rossendale and Darwen said to The Guardian: “The call from the sector is clear: we need ambitious new legislation to expand everyone’s access to green and blue spaces. We have a unique opportunity to build on the legacy left for us by previous Labour governments, who have always sought to ensure that we can all enjoy Britain’s natural beauty.”
The report can be downloaded here (47.9mb).
The trouble is, both current access land and bridleways, restricted byways & BOATs are not evenly distributed across England and Wales. It’s a postcode lottery as to whether you have good access to nature or not (and of course, even if there is access land near to you, currently you have no legal right to ride on tracks and paths on it). From the Debate Pack prepared by the House of Commons Library for a 2023 parliamentary debate on public access to nature:
I’m not 100% sure it’s true to say the Peak District is knackered from all of the walkers, or that the Forest Of Dean is trashed 🤣.
The difference here is that there are clear public health benefits of allowing better access to nature by bike, unlike the other activities you mention.
I’m not quite sure what you mean by this? I’m not a journalist for a start, and I certainly don’t have a vested interest in screwing the countryside. In fact, I’m a trustee of the National Landscapes Association, so I’d argue quite the opposite…
Why the hell would I want to do that?
As it happens, I’ve ridden pretty much every permitted inch in the South Dales, and all that has revealed is the ridiculous randomness of the BW network, the lack of interconnection, the tracts of moorland in which ancient through routes have been extinguished for the convenience of the landowner. I’ve ridden perfect BWs that end at the shooting moor gate then magically reappear several miles further on.
I’ve also ridden, well, carried over, almost impassable BWs of pure bog half a mile from perfect, well-surfaced footpaths. I’ve ridden nationally-promoted bikepacking routes which are forced onto boring main roads for miles due to failed attempts to gain access through tiny sections of land.
Plenty of the BWs I ride are also suitable for motorised vehicles, many of the now restricted byways are not. Damage from bikes, horses and motorised vehicles often happens because the route we are allowed to follow is unsuitable, but the only one available for miles around. Spread the load, reduce the damage.
There has to be a better way to do this.
Bit harsh on Ben, unless there’s something we should be told about him.
Was my first thought, I do wonder who is advising the APPG. I guess there’s a group of riders now who were less prominent back when Scotland made their access changes, and stiles are a bit more of an issue for them…
^^THIS!!^^
Why apply artificial limits to what we have access to?
This assumes they have any interest at all in engaging, and that the mtb lobby has any kind of power or influence.
Your last point is much more realistic imho. Takes longer though. It’s what Peak District MTB are doing.
July:
https://peakdistrictmtb.org/2025-national-call-for-better-countryside-cycling-access/