SC(3) - AIW13

Sustainability Committee

Inquiry into access to inland water in Wales

Dear Sustainability Committee,

Re; access to inland water in Wales

I am interested in the issue of access to inland waterways as a recreational canoeist and whitewater kayaker. Although a resident of England, I am a frequent visitor to Wales for canoeing on the rivers and sea, I also have family connections in North and South Wales.

I am a member of the British Canoe Union and of  Swaledale Outdoor Club (affiliated to BCU).

Since 1968 I have paddled on (parts of) the Conwy, Dee, Glaslyn, Llugwy, Ogwen, Taff, Teifi, Tryweryn, Tywi, Usk and Wye.

Access for canoeing to rivers in Wales is unclear and as in England, landowners and fishing bodies feel they have the right to prevent us using most of this natural resource.

UK Government has repeatedly recommended that canoeing and fishing/ riparian owners make voluntary agreements but for as long as I have paddled (40 years) this has been unachievable and recently demonstrated as unworkable by the Environment Authority’s pilot scheme in 2006. I feel very frustrated with the situation, it’s not so bad for experienced paddlers but the number of rivers where you would feel comfortable to introduce young or inexperienced people to the sport without fear of suffering abuse from the status quo is quite small and so (children especially) miss out on the real beauty and serenity of our inland waters.

I favour the introduction of a system such as the Scottish Land Reform Act 2003 whereby canoeists and other small boat users, swimmers etc would have access to and along inland waters, whilst also making such users responsible by their actions to respect the environment and property.

My experience of voluntary agreements is that they have limited us to a tiny proportion of the rivers in our countries. Those that have been secured suffer a disproportionate number of canoeists and become virtual no-go zones.

The key issue for recreational access to inland waters is that it should be some independent body making the arrangements for access, not people with a vested interest. Ideally Wales will follow Scotland’s lead and introduce an act to grant legal access to and along inland waters with clearly laid out responsibilities for all users.

Yours faithfully,

Peter Ball