The two MSP’s behind the campaign to regulate the cutting of new tracks on Scotland’s hills and mountains have expressed disappointment at the lack of progress. The Hill Tracks campaign, supported by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland and Ramblers Scotland and pursued by MSPs, Peter Peacock and Sarah Boyack, resulted in a debate in the Scottish Parliament on 9th June last year.
Stewart Stevenson, the Minister responsible at the time, undertook to update the Scottish Parliament on the Scottish Government’s plans in relation to Hill Tracks “immediately after the summer recess”. The two MSPs now report as “a matter of considerable regret” that this has not happened despite repeated attempts to ascertain the Government’s position on the issue.
Following the summer recess the two MSPs wrote to the Minister asking for this clarification and were disappointed to learn that the timetable had slipped once again. The Government now intends to publish a ‘consultation paper’ in ‘early 2011’ to decide whether the ideas contained within the 2007 Heriot-Watt report are still appropriate to pursue. With the Scottish Election due in May this delay will push the issue beyond the term of the current parliament.
The two MSP’s have written once again to the Minister responsible seeking reassurance that there will be no further delay to this process and say they will continue to explore every opportunity to see some movement on this issue.