OpenMTB – Welsh Access Campaign

OpenMTB, the new national voice for mountain bikers that Ride Sheffield was instrumental in setting up, has been campaigning hard for better access to Wales’ rights of way network. Latest news is that numerous bikers converged on the Welsh Parliament on Weds 23 Sept to lobby members of the Welsh Government.

The campaign is the result off the Welsh Government consulting interested parties about its plans to introduce Scottish style open access. This has to be applauded as it at last recognises that the current network is too small to cope with the sheer number of people using it and that mountain biking is now a tremendous source of income for some of the most economically disadvantaged places in Wales.

Add to that the positive effect it has on health and well-being and it would seem logical that such an enlightened policy would breeze through the legislature. However, the usual suspects, including the Countryside Alliance, are ignoring the success of open access in Scotland and employing scare tactics in an attempt to derail the process.

That’s why it’s crucial that everyone responds to the consultation. which closes shortly on Oct 2. Click HERE to add your voice.  If we stay silent, we get nothing!

To check out the OpenMTB page on Facebook, click HERE