Consultation

Part 9 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 requires Natural England to implement improved access to the English coast. Our local recommendations on this must be in accordance with a Scheme (methodology) devised by us and approved by the Secretary of State.

Development of the Scheme has been informed by extensive research, ground truthing and ongoing discussion with our key stakeholders. This Consultation Version builds on the outline and draft versions of the Scheme we previously published in April and December 2008. It sets out the key principles on which we will base our access proposals at the local level, and illustrates how these principles will be applied in the main coastal scenarios. It explains the alignment approach on both the open coast and estuaries, and gives examples of potential alignments in sample coastal situations.

Once the consultation closes, we will finalise the Scheme in the light of responses, and submit it to the Secretary of State for approval. Implementation can only properly begin once this approval has been given.

To respond to the public consultation on the Scheme, please submit comments on the online response form by 6pm on 5th February 2010.

To read the consultation document, please visit:

http://naturalengland.etraderstores.com/NaturalEnglandShop/NE222

Please find below a list of key points which The British Horse Society has put together and which will inform its detailed response to the above consultation.

Please encourage equestrians to respond to this consultation and to make the following points.

Key Points:-

• That whilst it is not a statutory requirement of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 to explain Natural England's approach to the provision of wider public access benefits for horse riders, it should do so, otherwise the opportunity to provide access for equestrians will be lost.

• That all unrecorded or under recorded public rights of way and all rights for the equestrian public to air and exercise on common land, on routes which will be subject to the new coastal access provisions, ought to be researched and properly recorded by the access authority before the new coastal trail is implemented. This is essential if equestrians are not to find that routes to which they have a statutory right of access are barred to them by the introduction in connection with the coastal trail of kissing gates and similar barriers.

• That the signposts and furniture for the new access rights must be designed so that those higher right users who already have lawful access along sections of the route and on the beaches are not excluded, and so that walkers realise that other users will lawfully be there.

• That it is important that landowners be encouraged to provide new permanent access rights for equestrians either by dedicating higher rights on public rights of way or by using S.16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

• That the draft Scheme should be amended so that no part of an existing National Trail that presently carries rights for equestrians would be diverted onto the new coastal trail where this would involve a loss of National Trail for equestrians. Equestrians need more access to National Trails, not less.

• That we support the requirement for dogs to be kept on a short lead in the vicinity of livestock, including horses.

• That it is essential that Natural England and the Coastal Access Authorities work closely with The British Horse Society to ensure that access is provided for equestrians wherever possible.

• That it is essential that The British Horse Society is involved in all of the key stages of the implementation process.

Responses to the consultation should be made using the online form or, if this is not possible, by forwarding it to facilitators@dialoguebydesign.com

If you have any difficulties in submitting your response please contact Sarah Alder, tel no 02086836602, who is handling such queries on behalf of Natural England. The closing date for responses is 6 pm 5 February 2010.