Last Chance to Support the Trails for Wales Campaign

Manon Carpenter gives support for the campaign

Rachael Wight

Sep 27 2017

The Trails for Wales campaign is reaching a critical point as they draw nearer to the date on which the Welsh Government will consult on a forward-looking set of plans which would radically reform access rights in the country – effectively allowing cyclists and horse riders to use the vast majority of the country's footpaths.

Head to the Lake District and it's not difficult to put together a beautiful and technically challenging route in the heart of the national park, yet in North Wales' Snowdonia National Park (for example) it's much, much harder due to the disjointed nature of the trail network.

The reformation of access rights could significantly reform the rights users have to the trail and land in Wales, taking the access from a restricted 21 percent of the whole rights-of-way network to much, much more. If the reforms go ahead it will be the biggest thing in UK mountain biking since Scotland reformed its access rules in 2003. The Welsh Government has only put forward such bold changes because of the hugely successful Trails for Wales campaign run by lobby groups Cycling UK and OpenMTBin 2015 when the preliminary consultation was launched on the issue.

Whats in it for you?

More access to more trails in beautiful Wales
Bigger rides without awkward road linking sections
Less concentration of riders in a given area
Little used walking trails, perfect for mountain bikes would be accessible
Creation of brand new, epic rides
Linking trail centres together

What can you do?

Cyclists and other outdoor users need to make their voices heard, buy expressing your support on the response form below Cycling UK has sent a detailed response to the Welsh Gov, supporting the proposals and making some convincing arguments in favour of reform.

You don't have to live in Wales to respond to the consultation. You don't even have to live in the UK. You just have to be enthusiastic about the potential of the Welsh Government's plans. The consultation closes on Saturday, 30 September - so please don't delay in having your say.

Click here to support and have your say

Author block

Previously Editor here at off-road.cc, Rachael is happiest on two wheels. Partial to a race or two Rachael also likes getting out into the hills with a big bunch of mates. In the past Rachael has written for publications such as, Enduro Mountain Bike Magazine, Mountain Biking UK, Bike Radar, New Zealand Mountain Biker and was also the online editor for Spoke magazine in New Zealand too. For as long as she's been riding, she has been equally happy getting stuck into a kit review as she is creating stories or doing the site admin. When she's not busy with all the above she's roasting coffee or coaching mountain biking in the Forest of Dean.