Countryside and Rights of Way Act (2000):
 | The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (sometimes called the CRoW
Act) is a UK Act of Parliament which came into force on 30 November
2000. As of September 2007, not all sections of the Countryside and
Rights of Way Act have yet come into force. This means that only parts of the Act are currently valid in law. People across England now have approximately 865,000 hectares of land across which they can walk, ramble, run, explore, climb and watch wildlife as they are given the freedom to access land, without having to stay on paths. |
The Act implements the so-called 'Right to Roam' (Jus Spatiendi) long sought by the Ramblers' Association and its predecessors, on certain upland and uncultivated areas of England and Wales. The act is being implemented in stages as definitive maps of the areas are produced. Not all uncultivated land is covered — for instance in the southern area the guidelines are such that the land must almost always be heath or calcareous downland to qualify.
A staged review of footpaths, including limited rights to create new paths where needed, is being conducted under the Act. Again, this is being conducted in a staged manner, which can produce anomalies. Some long-standing areas of dispute became accessible under the Act — these include Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill in the Peak District.
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act also made some changes in respect of nature conservation, in particular to Part I of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. These three main changes are:
- The maximum penalty is now a term of imprisonment instead of a fine;
- The Secretary of State can designate "wildlife inspectors" who have a range of powers under the Act;
- Offences of disturbing certain birds and animals are extended so as to cover reckless as well as intentional acts.
The act gave power to create local access forums (lafs), comprising a balance of user and land-owner interests, to give advice on development of access land and of the footpath network; the policy of footpath improvement would be set out in a Rights of Way Improvement Plan (RoWIP).
Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003:
The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament. It created a framework for responsible access to land and inland water, formalising the tradition in Scotland of unhindered access to open countryside, provided that care was taken not to cause damage or interfere with activities including farming and game stalking.
The Act follows the distinctive approach set out in the Outdoor Access Code, specifying the rights and responsibilities of land managers, countryside users and recreational managers. It also introduced rights for crofters and communities to buy land in their area. The Act received Royal Assent on 25th February, 2003.