The BCU wishes to encourage ALL members of the public, whether they are BCU members or not to support to the campaign. Information about the campaign can be found at the Rivers Access Website www.riversaccess.org Do visit the website and support the campaign as it is important to us all, canoeists and non-canoeists alike, that we get greater access to the rivers for not only our sport but for the pleasure of being in the great outdoors. We all have freedom to roam but not permission to paddle. Remember that if a river has no access you are not allowed to wade or swim in it either!

England and Wales are two of the hardest places to gain access along rivers. The legal situation here is different to the rest of the world. Private ownership of rivers and the law does not give the public a right of use.

Scotland and most countries in the world do not have access restrictions along inland waterways where they are open to all. Members of the public are generally able to paddle large and small non-tidal rivers without the need to seek permission.

Did you know? 

·        There are over 200,000km of public rights of way we can walk along

·        There are more than 65,000km of rivers in England and Wales

·        98% of the rivers system has no public right of access along the water

·        Whoever owns the land along a river (the Riparian owner) also owns the property rights to the riverbed. They don’t own the  water itself, only the land it passes over.

·        If a river doesn’t have a public navigation and you haven’t got consent from the riparian owner, you’re                        committing an offence by paddling on it.

·        Nearly all of the most beautiful and interesting rivers are not accessible to YOU

Why do we need more access?

The ability to pass along rivers is a canoeist’s lifeblood. We paddle over water quietly leaving no sign that we have passed. No harm is done to wildlife or the water environment.

We would like to regard rivers as public highways in the same way as we feel free to walk along footpaths and other public rights of way.

What has been done so far?

Canoeists have ensured that Access to rivers is firmly on the Government’s Agenda - More progress has been made in the last 3 years than the previous 30 years.

The BCU has been pressing the case for more access with re-newed effort for the past 4 years. As a result, Government commissioned the study “Water based Sport and Recreation: the facts” from the University of Brighton that confirmed the lack of access as stated by the BCU.

From the Brighton study findings BCU launched the “Action on Access” campaign to lobby MPs. Your efforts prompted over 70 MPs to sign an Early Day Motion that recognised - “the unique legal situation in England and Wales restricts water based recreation, the need to open more inland waterways for access needed for most sports and recreations, in particular the special access difficulties for canoeists etc”.

The profile of the access issue was sufficiently raised to cause the Government to charge the Countryside Agency to commission a further study into the feasibility of access agreements. This study commenced in 2003 and reports in 2004. www.riversaccess.org further details this activity.

What next?

We are trying to get the support from as wide range of people as possible, canoeists and non-canoeists alike.

The RAC campaign is not only to raise awareness but also bring about a change in the access situation. This current campaign builds on the work of the earlier “Action on Access” campaign.

The BCU continues to lobby, raise questions concerning the access issue and promote canoeing at every opportunity. The Minister for Inland Waterways, Rt Hon Alun Michael MP (Minister for Inland Waterways) opened the International Canoe Exhibition in March 2003 and has met the BCU since on a number of occasions.

Now it is time for us to raise awareness of this issue to gain wider support. The next few months are the lead up to the University of Brighton reporting their findings for the Countryside Agency Access Demonstration Schemes. Raising awareness will be important for the BCU to capture the most public interest when we respond to the Governments position on the findings. It is also essential to help keep the access issue alive and heading towards our aim.

The long-term aim is for a public right of navigation along rivers..

How can you help?

Help support our campaign by

·        Using our information (Lobby Pack) to lobby your local MP (available from the RAC website: www.riversaccess.org and the BCU)

·        Raise awareness through local media e.g. TV/Radio

·        Write an article about the issue in your area and send it to your local paper, with accompanying photographs (photos really help to get things in the paper)

·        Follow up the first article with others and maybe letters on the letters page

        ·        Ask the TV along to your local event

·        Canoeing along somewhere doing something unusual

·        Run a canoeing competition and/or invite your MP, councilors, community leaders etc to the normal annual events that you run

·        Raising money for charity doing an unusual stunt
     Stage an event where the lack of access is highlighted (invite the press)

·        Walking along the river bank which is a public right of way carrying canoe equipment because you are unable to paddle on the         river

·        Go to the town fountain with your canoe equipment but put model canoes/boats into the water because there is nowhere else for        you to go

·        Walk through the town with your equipment and carrying placards to highlight the issue

·        Take someone important canoeing …your MP, town councilor, mayor, etc and get them to talk about the issue

·        Invite you local councilor or MP along to your event to present the prizes etc

·        Organise a mass paddle to somewhere of note … take pictures and invite the press

Do contact us to let us know what you are doing - where you have been successful and where you might need assistance

Keep an eye on the website www.riversaccess.org for latest news and information

Help us to achieve equality of Access by supporting the Rivers Access Campaign so we can fulfill the long-term aim, which is an equal share in access to the inland waterways in England and Wales.

The above information is courtesy of the BCU web site

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