NEW RIGHT OF ACCESS TO OPEN EARLY IN LOWER NORTH WEST

DEFRA

Countryside users are to be able to exercise their new right of access to mountain, moor, heath, down and registered common land in the north west of England earlier than planned, Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael has announced.

In delivering the region-by-region timetable for implementing the new
public right of access to open country under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act, the Lower North West region will now be one of the first areas where the new right will come into effect.

The change is due to the number of appeals against the provisional map for Central Southern England which must be heard before a conclusive map can be established. The Lower North West, which is further ahead in the process, looks set for the new right of access to start in September this year, along with the South East region.

Alun Michael said: "This is great news for walkers and means they will have access to some of our most beautiful countryside in the North of England earlier than anticipated. We plan to open the remaining regions as quickly as possible, and before our target date of December 2005. "

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