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Parliamentary Briefing the England Coast Path January 2016

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Parliamentary Briefing The England Coast Path January 2016 The Ramblers helps everyone, everywhere, enjoy walking and protects the places we all love to walk. We are the only charity dedicated to looking after paths and green spaces, leading walks, opening up new places to explore and encouraging everyone to get outside and discover how walking boosts your health and your happiness. Summary England has some of the best paths and trails in the world. This green infrastructure supports tourism and local economies as well as providing opportunities to improve public health. Current access to the coastline is patchy. The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 addresses this, allowing for the construction of a coastal path along the entire English coastline. Construction of the England Coast Path began in 2010 and so far 4 sections have opened. The Government recently committed to opening the entire route by 2020. The Government must maintain its commitment to fund and construct the England Coast Path by 2020 and as the Path opens, ensure the National Trails budget is increased to meet ongoing maintenance costs from this newest National Trail. Background England enjoys some of the best walking routes in the world, including 15 globally renowned National Trails, which together attract an estimated 12m people a year. In England alone, the annual tourism spend from walkers is £1.8 billion.1 The English coastline is home to some of the country’s most spectacular natural scenery but also to some of its most economically deprived communities.2 DCLG recognises that “Many seaside towns and villages have suffered decades of economic decline...We need to invest in coastal towns to help their economies grow and reduce unemployment and deprivation.”3 Good quality, well-promoted walking routes generate significant economic benefits, supporting vital local services and businesses including shops, pubs, hotels and B&Bs. Specific examples include: o The South West Coastal Path, worth £436 million/yr to the regional economy and supporting 9,771 jobs.4 o The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, where every £1 spent results in £57 spent by tourists. o The Wales Coastal Path, opened in May 2012, was walked by 2.8m people in its first year.5 Expenditure related to these trips in the first year alone was estimated at £33.2m, creating jobs and boosting Wales’s status as a tourist destination.6 o The Hadrian’s Wall path, which has brought £19 million to local communities since opening in 2003. Physical inactivity costs NHS England £1.8bn/year and the wider economy £8bn/year. The Government has a national ambition in England to bring about a year on year increase in physical activity and a year on year decrease in the proportion of those classed as inactive.7 Walking offers an easy and accessible way to exercise regularly yet receives relatively little attention or investment.8 Current access to the English coastline Visits to the coast to enjoy nature, exercise, relax and take in the open views are extremely popular. In Scotland (under the Land Reform Act 2003) and Wales (Wales Coast Path, running from the River Dee to Chepstow) walkers can enjoy access along their entire coastlines, yet in England 34% of the English coast is inaccessible.9 1 Visit England, October 2015 https://www.visitengland.com/biz/media-centre/press-releases/2015/october-2015/new-figures-reveal-value-tourism- spend-british-economy-generated-leisure-activities 2 http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/mar/31/deprivation-map-indices-multiple 3 https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/supporting-economic-development-projects-in-coastal-and-seaside-areas--4 4 , South West Coast Path Association, SWCP Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, January 2014 http://www.southwestcoastpath.com/media/uploads/swcp_year_2_analysis_summary_-_key_findings_final.pdf 5The Economic Impact of Wales Coast Path Visitor Spending on Wales 2012, Countryside Council for Wales, Nov. 2012, http://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=47004&langtoken=eng 6 The Path was named by Lonely Planet and the New York Times as one of the top tourist destinations in the world: http://www.walescoastpath.gov.uk/media-centre/in-the-news.aspx 7 Department of Health, 2012 8 Separate Ramblers’ briefing on health and physical activity is available. 9 Natural England, 2009: An Audit of Coastal Paths in England Access to the English coastline is patchy, and even where there is access it is often: o On permissive paths (and therefore not legally secure). o Fragmented, so that it is not possible to make a continuous journey. o Constrained (e.g. a footpath against a cliff edge), preventing a good quality experience. o Unsecure due to coastal erosion. This can undermine existing access rights and prevent secure access to a beach. o Poorly managed: there is a huge variation in the standards of management. o On a route which takes visitors far inland, away from the sea. A 2012 YouGov Survey10 commissioned by the Ramblers revealed that almost seven out of 10 British people believe the public should have legal access to walk along beaches and the entire English coastline. The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 places a duty on the Secretary of State and Natural England (NE) to secure a walking trail around the open coast of England, set to be known as the England Coast Path. This Act created a new legal right to walk on beaches, along cliffs and other coastal land in England following the path’s clearly defined route. Once the path has been completed visitors to the coast will be able to enjoy this and be guaranteed good quality access along the entire English coast. Constructing the England Coast Path Cost - NE currently estimates the cost of constructing the Path at approximately £2k per km. This figure varies depending on the particular circumstances of each stretch of coast, for example whether there is existing access and walking infrastructure. 2012 - The first stretch of the England Coastal Path was opened at Weymouth in June 2012 by Defra Minister Richard Benyon. The Minister said “Opening up miles of English coastline like this will allow thousands of people to better enjoy this spectacular natural environment and support local economies through tourism.”11 Since then work has commenced on further sections. Stretches in Cumbria (Allonby to Whitehaven) and Durham (North Gare to South Bents) opened in April 2014, and a stretch in Norfolk (Weybourne to Sea Palling) in December 2014.12 Further sections in Somerset (Minehead to Brean Down) and Kent (Ramsgate to Folkestone) are due to open Easter 2016.13 2014 - Following a public consultation, in July 2014 the Government announced it would extend the England Coast Path to include the Isle of Wight (IoW). The Ramblers, the IoW Chamber of Commerce and Isle of Wight Council supported this. In September 2014 the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced that the 3,000 mile route and will be completed by 202014 - at least 10 years earlier than previous estimates. This commitment will breathe new life into our coastal towns, supporting tourism and local economies as well as providing opportunities to improve public health. 2015 - Following this, DEFRA Minister Rory Stewart reconfirmed that the Government’s pledge to protect funding for the Path and to meet the 2020 deadline for construction.15 One coast for all The Government must maintain its commitment to construct the England Coast Path by 2020 and maintain funding for the project, so that the substantial momentum, experience and benefits realised from the investment to date are not lost. When complete, then England Coast Path will be a new National Trail and its ongoing maintenance will be funded from the National Trails budget. As the Path is constructed, the Government must increase this budget to take account of the increased costs resulting from the new National Trail. If overall funding remains static, budgets for other National Trails will in effect have to be cut.16 Further information Kate Conto, Senior Policy Officer, 020 7339 8500, [email protected] 10 Total sample size was 2020 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 16th - 19th March 2012. The survey was carried out online. 11 Dorset Echo, 29 June 2012 12 http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/access/coastalaccess/default.aspx 13 http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/access/coastalaccess/default.aspx 14 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/deputy-prime-minister-boosts-parks-and-paths-so-we-can-all-enjoy-natural-britain 15 http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-11-25/17575/ 16 Separate Ramblers briefing on National Trails is available. .
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