Government plans to introduce open access to the countryside has been criticised after caution is urged. The Plaid Cymru call comes following the publication of HSE figures showing 74 deaths involving cattle in the past 15 years and in the wake of a series of high-profile animal welfare incidents linked to public access to farmland.
A Government consultation on improving opportunities to access outdoors for recreation closed last month in which the prospect of introducing a right of access to all land in Wales is outlined.
Plaid Cymru Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs Llyr Gruffydd said, "There is much that needs to be improved with the existing arrangements for access, rights of way and public footpaths in Wales. Updating antiquated legislation and outdated regulations would, for example, reduce many of the administrative burdens on those responsible for our paths.
"A quarter of Wales is already designated as open land and we have over 20,000 miles of public rights of way. There has been a threefold increase in land accessible by right by the public since 2005 meaning that over a million acres of Welsh countryside is already accessible to the public.
"If the Government genuinely wants to encourage more access then it should start by promoting the better use of what we already have. Flinging the farm gates wide open by introducing open access to all land in Wales is the wrong approach.
"Recent incidents involving dog attacks on livestock have reminded us that allowing public access onto farmland brings with it risks to land owners and for animal welfare. Health and Safety Executive statistics also highlight the dangers to the public in terms of injury and deaths. Among the 74 fatalities involving cattle were 18 members of the public who were either rambling or walking their dogs.
“These incidents generally occurred on public footpaths or rights of way and almost always involve dogs. If a dog comes between a cow and its calf then that can trigger an attack, which makes it all the more important that people do not wander at random and put themselves in danger.
"Wales has a countryside of which we can all be proud. Allowing responsible use of it by the public has clear benefits for health and our economy. As well as the national coastal path, our citizens already have access to hundreds of thousands of hectares of land and I don't believe we're making the best of this existing potential. The Government would do well to deliver more effectively on what we already have before seeking to introduce open access to all land in Wales."
