Deregulation Bill

Below is part of a report from Tony Kempster, ALRC Countryside Access Officer regarding of the Deregulation Bill that is currently going through parliament and may be of interest to club members.

The Deregulation Bill is part of the government's intention, quote - 'to remove unnecessary bureaucracy that costs millions and to make life easier for individuals and society'. LARA [Land Access Rights Association] is not against the measures contained in the Bill as it stands but due to the evidence given by the 'antis' to the joint scrutiny committee of the draft Bill, which consisted of MPs and peers, LARA believes that they are likely to lobby MPs to move amendments during report stage of the Bill to down-grade all BOAT’s [Byways Open to All Traffic] and unsealed roads to restricted byway status. If the anti-vehicle lobby achieves its aim, the outcome would obviously have a disastrous effect on access to the countryside for many ALRC members. In order to co-ordinate maximum action and intelligence, LARA will establish a campaign team to oversee co-ordinating groups to deal with communications to and from individuals within LARA who wish to continue to use BOATs and unsealed unclassified roads for events and recreational driving. The strategy is that at the appropriate time, LARA member bodies would be asked to encourage their individual members to contact their local MP. LARA would provide briefing information to enable them to counter the anti-vehicle lobby by highlighting the financial benefit, social engagement and the heritage of exploring minor highways. In the meantime, every LARA member is asked to inform the chairman of anyone who is prepared to join a campaign co-ordinating group. He would also like to know of any knowledgeable people with useful contacts with MPs. LARA is trying to identify anyone living in the constituencies represented by the MPs listed below who is prepared to write/contact their MP. They would be given guidance by LARA in putting the case for keeping byways and unsealed un-surfaced roads open to motorised vehicles.

The following nineteen MPs listed will consider the Bill at committee stage when each clause of the Bill and any amendments are debated. Gavin Barwell – Croydon Central, London Andrew Bingham – High Peak, East Midlands Tom Brake – Carshalton and Wallington, London Andrew Bridgen – North West Leicestershire, East Midlands John Cryer – Leyton an d Wanstead, London Thomas Docherty – Dunfermline and West Fife, Scotland [DeFRA Shadow minister] James Duddridge – Rochford and Southend East, Eastern Oliver Heald – North East Hertfordshire, Eastern John Hemming – Birmingham Yardley, West Midlands Kelvin Hopkins – Luton North, Eastern Gareth Johnson – Dartford, South East Paul Maynard – Blackpool North and Cleveleys, North West Caroline Nokes – Romsey and Southampton North, South East Chi Onwurah – Newcastle upon Tyne Central, North East Toby Perkins – Chesterfield, East Midlands [Shadow Minister, BIS] David Rutley – Macclesfield, North West Jim Shannon – Strangford, Northern Ireland Karl Turner – Kingston upon Hull East, Yorkshire and Humberside Chris Williamson – Derby North, East Midlands

If you feel that you may be able to help with this then please get in touch with Tony Kempster at [email protected] and he will advise on who to contact for further information.