SC(3) - AIW01

Sustainability Committee

Inquiry into access to inland water in Wales

I am a recreational kayaker. I was introduced to this sport -which has become a life long passion- at an outdoor education centre in Wales, kayaking on a Welsh river.

I currently live in the South of England. Much of my free time is spent kayaking; either on the sea or white water kayaking on rivers, travelling to and generally staying for a weekend or longer in a variety of locations in the UK and overseas.

I beleive that I, and kayakers like me, make a substantial contribution to the local economy in the areas where we choose to kayak. We make use of accomodation and services in many key tourist centres during the 'off' season, which is when the rivers are generally suitable for our sport.

Welsh rivers are a wonderful kayaking resource, and I have returned to Wales for kayaking trips on many occasions. I have found the rivers to be great places to kayak because of their beauty, and also because of the quality of the white water that I have experienced.

My experience of voluntary access agreements in Wales is that they are often a poor compromise. The terms of the agreements tend to appear to legitimise kayaking on a particular stretch of river within a set timeframe. This results in overcrowding, and also means that some kayakers may choose to paddle a river when it is inappropriate to do so, simply because the access agreement implies that they can.

In my opinion, a key issue for recreational access for kayakers is the misguided perception by anglers, and landowners with a vested interest in angling, that kayaking -and other on the water recreation- has a detrimental impact on the river environment and their use of it. There is no emperical evidence to support this.

Scotland and Norway are examples of two countries where the interests of all water users are catered for in clear and fair legislation, and where access codes and education for water users have helped to develop a sense of responsible use and cooperation. I would like to see similar legislation enacted in Wales.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs Heather Rainsley