A law for one…………………

Section 62 of the NERC bill currently passing through parliament, runs under the guise of clarifying the status of certain public rights of way, it is a hard hitting piece of legislation aimed at removing “nuisance” motorists from the countryside. The bill in its present form will remove vehicular rights from some 2000 miles of minor roads.

Many of us have been mystified by the words of ministers seemingly ignorant of the law, the facts and their own research whilst propagating streams of misinformation and bare faced lies.

It can be no coincidence that many ministers are substantial land owners who stand to profit most from this “adjustment” to public rights of way. The bill represents a first for English and Welsh law, never before has a government sought to remove public rights of way, it also undermines a fundamental cornerstone of our public rights – once a road always a road.

Thousands of properties across the country will have vehicular access rights removed, permanently and with no provision for appeal. Any property accessed from a minor road, no matter how short that road may be, could be affected.
The owners of properties accessed via an affected road will have no choice but to negotiate, on the open market, for easements from land owners.

Some landowners have already received substantial settlements for private access agreements to properties blighted by the forthcoming legislation that is already making them un-saleable.

So can it be mere coincidence that the people we elect to represent us, could have contrived a law that reduces our public rights of way across their land, and provides a very useful, and substantial revenue stream?

Gary Lawes
Press Officer green Lane Association
www.glass-uk.org