FMD crisis measures tailored to suit the needs of landowners & their resistance to Right to Roam

[The Land Is Ours]

From: porkbolter at excite.co.uk


A CAMPAIGN group has joined calls for West Sussex County Council to
re-open the county's footpaths.

And Worthing eco-action has predicted that if the ban is not lifted,
many local people will simply flout it and take to the countryside in
defiance.

The groups comments came as The Ramblers Association named West Sussex
as one of the worst offenders for not re-opening footpaths.

Said eco-action spokesman Dave Phillips: There is no reason at all why
all the footpaths should still be closed, when there is not even any
foot and mouth in Sussex.

In any case, the disease has been spread by the transport of farm
animals and meat around the country, not by walkers out for a stroll on
a sunny day.

Many people are beginning to smell a rat with regard to the county
councils attitude and suspect that they have a hidden agenda in keeping
the public out of the countryside.

Mr Phillips pointed out that the council had been waging a high-profile
campaign against the planned South Downs National Park and also opposed
the Governments Right to Roam measures.

He added: The Conservative clique that controls County Hall are very
keen to promote rich landowners interests and no do not want ordinary
people to enjoy the rural heritage that is part of their birthright.

It is obscene for them to use `emergency powers to deny us our ancient
rights of way when there is no emergency. The council is effectively
stealing our own land from us.

Mr Phillips said he could not imagine lovers of the South Downs staying
off the hills all summer, whatever course of action the council took.

He said defiance of the ban would not necessarily take the form of
organised mass protest, though that was a possibility, but would
probably see people all across the county deciding independently to
ignore the councils draconian measures.

He added: The council have got to ask themselves whether they can
really police this and impose their closures, or whether they are just
going to end up looking impotent and unpopular and would be better off
lifting the ban straight away.

ENDS

Worthing eco-action is an umbrella organisation for a nunber of Worthing
campaign groups, namely Worthing Friends of the Earth, Worthing Animal
Aid, Worthing Anarchist Teapot, The Porkbolter, South Coast Against
Roadbuilding and Worthing Genetix Alliance.



The Land Is Ours
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