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IWA is supporting the Rivers Access Campaign mounted by the British Canoe Union, which aims to open up most of the country’s rivers to access by non-powered small boats, such us canoes.
At present less than 3% of the country’s rivers are freely accessible for boating recreation of any sort.
A Ten Minute Rule Bill - Access to Inland Waters Bill 2007 – was introduced to the House of Commons on 24th January, by Des Turner, MP for Brighton. The Bill outlines the need for legislation, similar to the Scottish Land Reform Act 2003. The legislation would identify canoeists and other water users’ right to access the waters as well as codify their responsibilities.
Whilst the Bill is unlikely to make substantial progress in this Parliament, it has helped highlight the public demand for greater access to the waterways in England and Wales, and which already exists in Scotland. The successful introduction of the Scottish Land Reform Act, which provided a public right of responsible access to most of the land in Scotland for walking, canoeing and other recreational activities, dispelled many of the fears of landowners of opening up their land.
The Countryside Right of Way legislation, which gives people the right to roam in certain designated areas is more restrictive than the Scottish law and does not allow for canoeists and swimmers, etc, to access waters for which there is no specific agreement or public right of navigation.
The Access to Inland Waters Bill 2007 would provide statutory access rights to and along most inland waters. However, people would only have these rights if they exercised them responsibly. All rights of navigation would continue to exist and are unaffected by the Public Access to Inland Waters Bill (2007). Of over 41,000 miles (66,000kms) of rivers in England and Wales without a public right of navigation, only 510 miles (812 kilometres) of mostly highly restricted access has been negotiated. Some agreements are for just a few days each year adding very little to the 2% of inland waterways with a public right of navigation. Ultimately, access is in the hands of riparian owners. If they refuse to engage in negotiation, there is no way a canoeist or others can make progress.
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