UK Nature and Environment

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Paralympian David Weir backs Ramblers call for inclusive paths (www.ramblers.org.uk)

submitted 1 year ago by GreyShuck@feddit.uk to c/nature@feddit.uk

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The Ramblers is calling on the UK government to remove all unnecessary barriers within the next five years. Shining a spotlight on the path barriers faced by those with disabilities or limited mobility, our goal is to see improvements to the path network to make access to nature more inclusive for all.

Evidence of the issue

In a recent survey conducted by YouGov for the Ramblers1, 25% of people say physical barriers (such as stiles, steps, or gates) stop them from using the path network. This figure rises to 56% of people with physical and sensory disabilities. The research suggests that physical barriers pose a significant reason why people with disabilities are not able to fully use our paths network.

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[–] GreyShuck@feddit.uk 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This really is a difficult one.

I don't know what the Ramblers take on cyclists is, but I definitely do know about the problems with off-road motorbikes on footpaths and bridleways. One of the sites that I used to look after had a running battle with kids on off-road bikes of all kinds (I literally still have the scars from where I was run down by one of the bikers on one occasion). Part of the site - several acres - had been completely trashed over the years and was just left as a huge dirt-track area when it had no end of potential for habitat. Since the access route was a bridleway we spent an enormous amount of time, money and ingenuity in trying to find some way of allowing legitimate bridleway traffic including mobility scooters and still keep the off-road bikes out. We did not reach any satisfactory solution by the time I moved on.

I noticed a few weeks ago that that area is now having houses built on it anyway. I wonder whether it would have been given planning permission if it was good condition habitat?