{"id":12452,"date":"2015-02-09T08:39:32","date_gmt":"2015-02-09T08:39:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/?p=12452"},"modified":"2015-02-09T08:57:40","modified_gmt":"2015-02-09T08:57:40","slug":"ramblers-call-for-rights-of-access-over-scotlands-level-crossings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/ramblers-call-for-rights-of-access-over-scotlands-level-crossings\/","title":{"rendered":"Ramblers call for rights of access over Scotland’s level crossings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ten years after statutory rights of access were secured to most of Scotland\u2019s land and water, Ramblers Scotland Convener, David Thomson, has called on the Sottish Parliament to resolve the long running confusion over the public\u2019s right to use level crossings on Scotland\u2019s railway lines.
\n\"railway\"
\nDavid Thomson, said: \u201cToday Scotland can rightly celebrate 10 years of world-class access legislation, and there is a widespread acceptance that the right to roam is working well. But there is one outstanding issue in the lack of clarity over public rights to cross railway lines, which affects around 70% of Scotland\u2019s 600 level crossings. In Network Rail\u2019s view, any member of the public using the crossing is committing criminal trespass. We believe the current Scottish Government consultation on land reform is an ideal opportunity to resolve this issue. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere are public rights of access across around 150 of Scotland\u2019s level crossings. However the remainder are so called \u2018private\u2019 crossings. Until 2004, access by non-motorised users over these crossings was tolerated by Railtrack and its predecessors. Since then, despite no legislative change having taken place, Network Rail has insisted that anyone who is not the specified authorised user would be committing criminal trespass by using any such level crossing. <\/p>\n

\u201cThese crossings are used by walkers, cyclists and horseriders, with thousands reliant upon these as important routes in some locations. In some cases the crossings pre-date the construction of the railway as they were existing established paths. In rural areas the nearest point people can cross could be many miles away and therefore these private crossings have immense importance both to local communities and also to those enjoying outdoor recreation.<\/p>\n

David added: \u201cWe believe the position taken by Network Rail is based on a misunderstanding of the basis on which access is taken in Scotland, and instead is based on their perception of the England and Wales rights of way legislation. Network Rail has proved to be very uncooperative in resolving this issue over the past decade.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe current Scottish Government consultation on land reform is an opportunity for the Scottish Parliament to resolve this situation by amending the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 to specify that statutory rights of public access apply across all private level crossings where there is a right of access to land on either side of the railway.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ten years after statutory rights of access were secured to most of Scotland\u2019s land and water, Ramblers Scotland Convener, David Thomson, has called on the Sottish Parliament to resolve the long running confusion over the public\u2019s right to use level crossings on Scotland\u2019s railway lines. David Thomson, said: \u201cToday Scotland can rightly celebrate 10 years of world-class access legislation, and there is a widespread acceptance that the right to roam is working well. But there is one outstanding issue in the lack of clarity over public rights to cross railway lines, which affects around 70% of Scotland\u2019s 600 level crossings.…<\/span> <\/p>\n

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