{"id":28434,"date":"2025-01-27T10:50:58","date_gmt":"2025-01-27T10:50:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/?p=28434"},"modified":"2025-01-27T10:53:33","modified_gmt":"2025-01-27T10:53:33","slug":"walkers-urged-to-fight-cuts-to-local-access-funding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walkhighlands.co.uk\/news\/walkers-urged-to-fight-cuts-to-local-access-funding\/","title":{"rendered":"Walkers urged to fight cuts to local access funding"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ramblers Scotland is calling on walkers to urgently email local councillors to ensure upcoming budgets safeguard investment in walking, paths and outdoor access. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The charity says that most Scottish councils have squeezed the money they spend on walking throughout the past decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long-term budget cuts have led to fewer staff to support access, complaints about blocked paths increasingly going unanswered, and insufficient funds to maintain popular trails. <\/p>\n\n\n

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A new webpage has been launched at ramblers.org.uk\/accessbudgets<\/a> to help walkers find and email their local councillors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ramblers Scotland director Brendan Paddy said: \u201cRight now, councils across Scotland are setting their 2025\/26 budgets. It\u2019s vital that walkers and other outdoor enthusiasts stand up for access, following a decade of budgets being squeezed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat is frustrating because making it easy for people to enjoy local walks has major benefits for our communities\u2019 health and wellbeing and saves money for other services.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, I hope walkers will email their councillors within the next fortnight, urging them to properly invest in walking, so that everyone can make the most of Scotland\u2019s amazing outdoors and world-class access rights.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An official NatureScot list<\/a> currently suggests that five local authorities – East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire – lack a dedicated Access Officer. It is their job to uphold access rights and address any issues raised by landowners or the public. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other councils are failing to hold regular Local Access Forums, which is a statutory requirement in Scottish access law.  Across the board, Ramblers Scotland\u2019s local groups have reported that councils are struggling to keep up with queries about access issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ramblers Scotland hopes that local people can urge councillors to: <\/p>\n\n\n\n