Too many people can't walk to the pub, shops, school, doctors or to see friends of family because there is no safe way to go. 7 in 10 agree we should be able to use field margins if there's no safe alternative www.theguardian.com/environment/... buildstories.slowways.org/life-or-deat... - ThreadSky

danravenellison.bsky.social • 64 days ago

Too many people can't walk to the pub, shops, school, doctors or to see friends of family because there is no safe way to go.

7 in 10 agree we should be able to use field margins if there's no safe alternative

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/26/call-for-right-to-roam-on-edges-of-private-farmland-england-walking

https://buildstories.slowways.org/life-or-death-on-your-boxing-day-walk-why-britons-are-calling-for-thousands-of-new-paths/

Comments

amyjanebeer.bsky.social•63 days ago

🎯

danravenellison.bsky.social•62 days ago

I'd like to apologise for mis-typing field margin rather than field edge in the message above. That is not the language I have used elsewhere (https://buildstories.slowways.org/life-or-death-on-your-walk-why-britons-are-calling-for-thousands-of-new-paths/). I believe habitat margins should be protected, and any paths should be well maintained and clear to follow.

andybanshee.bsky.social•63 days ago

As a child it was common for large groups of school kids to go rambling with the teachers. A lot of walking on B roads (uk).
As an adult I do a lot of long runs which takes me on many roads without paths. Drivists often try teach me a lesson.

andybanshee.bsky.social•63 days ago

The problem is drivists. We need to start being tough on drivists.

davidcant.co.uk•63 days ago

I can recognise that. We have no footpaths only grass verges and little streetlighting where we live, the nearest shop is almost a mile away.

chindaswind.bsky.social•63 days ago

I learned something new today, thank you!

andyscargill.bsky.social•62 days ago

100% with you on creating safe off-road paths but I'd prefer carefully thought out permissive routes rather than a carte blanch approach. Field boundaries & hedges are generally much more biodiverse than the fields themselves and provide important wildlife habitats. IMO, they should be protected.

andyscargill.bsky.social•62 days ago

With reference to the Country Code mentioned in the article, whilst the majority abide by its sentiments, there are sadly too many who don't. How do we solve this? That said I'm pleased that the government has removed the cut off for rediscovering existing, unused PRoWs & bringing them back into use

danravenellison.bsky.social•62 days ago

Thanks Any. Agree with your points and certainly want paths.

The news story the carried was about access to field edges in places where roads are dangerous.

The bigger point is the need for people to be able to walk to the places they need to get to.. using sensitive and thoughtful paths.

muddywalters56.bsky.social•41 days ago

That’s a very good point. 👍🏻

jmgr522.bsky.social•62 days ago

Just walk on the feckin land. This idea that you need permission to walk on stolen land is just pathetic.

rosybeeplants.bsky.social•63 days ago

Maybe 7 in 10 dont really understand the other perspectives of this request.

debrakidd.bsky.social•64 days ago

We live in Belgium and it seems to be normal in rural areas to have pathways through fields for walkers and cycles.

richardmoody.bsky.social•64 days ago

Why not just build proper paths and cycleway between destinations?

danravenellison.bsky.social•63 days ago

Yes please!

richardmoody.bsky.social•63 days ago

Because that would be called Active Travel and we can't be having that in the tory shires! You know what they say "go woke and go broke!" no one ever said "put in some paths and go to the pub for a nice pint!"

raouligan.bsky.social•64 days ago

Can we not just have paths , I'd like right to roam as well, walking round the edge of fields because cars cause dangers on roads isn't the answer, proper safe infrastructure for pedestrians is, imagine if this was suggested for drivers, oh no proper road, just use the edge of fields...

illestroobants.bsky.social•64 days ago

I remember a ‘country walk’ in England with two young children, along a long winding road, no footpath and no possibility of walking on the verge. We literally had to push ourselves into the hedges when cars sped by. My youngest compared it to being in a computer game. Accurate description.

peterreavill.bsky.social•63 days ago

To be fair, if you go to the second edition OS County series 1:2500 you will see all the footpaths lost from 1900ish. If these were reopened then there would be little need for field margins

danravenellison.bsky.social•62 days ago

Wouldn't that be a beautiful thing!

peterreavill.bsky.social•62 days ago

It would too, I use them everyday in trying to work out the interconnectivity of places and how landscapes work in the past - that can all be recaptured for the future too, if we are brave enough to speak against the landed and entitled

gareththespy.bsky.social•63 days ago

I agree, us working people pay massive subsidies through our tax!s to these unprofitable and lazy farmers. At least we must get something back for our cash, than buying them 4x4 card and tax free housing.

2of.bsky.social•63 days ago

c. 8 in 10 of the UK population live in towns / cities - they simply don't need to walk on field margins to get to the pub, shops, school etc.

anguswillson.bsky.social•63 days ago

You should visit some new-builds were there is no pedestrian access to the new primary school. There is no pub or shop.

2of.bsky.social•63 days ago

In which case they're an absolute failure by Planning. Urban or village fringe new developments without footpaths into local facilities are moronic, criminally irresponsible of local planners to permit such developments without the necessary supporting infrastructure (I know, a common story ...).

anguswillson.bsky.social•63 days ago

A local developer has recently trashed an eighty-item S106 agreement with impunity.

2of.bsky.social•63 days ago

Crap innit... and the local authorities will ultimately cave (if they haven't already). Personally I'd tell 'em "tough, those were the terms, if you're not going to meet them then knock it all down and restore the land to how it was".

Happens too often, all over the UK.

muskisatwat.bsky.social•63 days ago

This the way in France. You can walk around the perimeter of any field (providing livestock is kept safe).

danravenellison.bsky.social•62 days ago

Can you share more?

muskisatwat.bsky.social•62 days ago

I just remember from when we were considering moving to France. We like to walk and were asking agents and people in the chambre d’otes about footpaths. This is what they told us and we successfully put it to the test. Large pathways round all the fields. Makes so much sense.

exo2-901.bsky.social•41 days ago

Agree, we regularly take such a route which should definitely be described as a footpath to avoid walking along a 40mph road (where traffic actually goes a lot faster)

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