Enjoying Spaghetti in Aberdeen
Introduction
It is possible that more people enjoy the thought of hill
walking than actually participate, at least as frequently as they
would want. It is a modest drive from Aberdeen to any
substantial hill, let alone to the mountains. Braemar, for
example, is 60 miles away. If you live in Aberdeen, mountain
paths do not start at the back door. Besides this, some 40% of
households in Aberdeen do not have the use of a private car which
might enable them to reach the mountains.
The paths around Aberdeen may not match mountain paths for the
grandeur of the environment and the views afforded nor for the
challenge in walking them. They are nevertheless important for
providing opportunities for access to the countryside for
exercise and recreation, and for many people these will be the
only opportunities they readily have available.
Fragmented paths
A map of rights of way around Aberdeen shows a hopelessly
fragmented network of paths. Indeed, it is not really a network
at all. This is the chopped-up spaghetti that is available as of
right to the residents of Aberdeen, and to visitors if they are
able to find it. There are, of course, other paths over which
access is tolerated informally, but most are not signed.
Access Forum and legislation
For these reasons, the City Council supports the principles
that emerged from the Access Forum as the basis for proposed
legislation on access in Scotland. In particular, it supports
the concept of a right of responsible access to all land and
favours making it a duty on local authorities to define core path
networks. These would seem to be keystones of effective
legislation. They would enable local authorities and landowners
to work together to identify coherent networks that would
integrate with a working countryside. The Council considers that
the legislation, as drafted, has a number of shortcomings and
responded in detail to the consultation by the Scottish
Executive.
The Council and rights of way
In the meantime, the City Council has been taking seriously
its duty under current legislation to assert rights of way.
Where there is adequate evidence of use over at least a 20 year
period, it is prepared to seek to have rights of way vindicated
through the courts. This is regarded as a last resort. When the
Council's staff are responding to complaints from the public
about obstructed paths claimed as rights of way, landowners
frequently accept, usually with good grace, evidence of use
presented to them. It has become necessary to initiate legal
proceedings only twice in recent years. Even then landowners
effectively conceded by offering agreements, attached to title,
that the paths in question would be available for access by the
public in perpetuity. The process of gathering evidence, of
preparing a case and, if necessary, briefing counsel is both time
consuming and costly. Some £40,000 has been expended to
safeguard 3.5 km of path along the north bank of the River
Dee.
The proposed legislation should remove the need to resort to
court action in such cases, at least in the countryside. In
built-up areas the provisions of the current legislation may
still be necessary. Here it may be more difficult to identify
paths important to local people for inclusion in the core path
network, and some paths which have recently been asserted as
rights of way pass through the curtilages of buildings.
New Paths
New paths are, from time to time, constructed. During the
summer of 2000 the Aberdeen section of the Formartine and Buchan
Way was opened by Sarah Boyack. This long-distance path, which
runs northwards to Fraserburgh and Peterhead, now starts at Dyce
railway station, giving easy public transport access from the
centre of Aberdeen. It also forms part of the Sustrans route to
Moray and the Highlands. The path serves not only as a long
distance route, but also provides a well used local link between
Dyce station and local businesses.
Path Usage and Signage
The lack of signage on most paths discourages use by the
public. The City Council recently decided that as opportunities
arise to sign paths, a consistent pattern of signage would be
employed throughout the City. In due course it is hoped that
this pattern will be widely recognised, building confidence
amongst potential users. The Council's signage manual was
prepared before the guidance published by the Paths for All
Partnership, but accords well with that advice.
The City Council maintains several well used paths in the
City, of which the principal ones are the path along the Deeside
Line and the coastal path. The Council's ranger service has a
major role in this and in assisting members of the public using
these paths and other public open spaces.
Aberdeen Countryside Project
Much of the practical work in path construction and
improvement is carried out in conjunction with other
organisations. Aberdeen Countryside Project has, as one of its
objectives, the creation of opportunities for access to the
countryside in and around Aberdeen. It has been working with
landowners to create or improve paths. For example, it has
recently completed the development and signage of a network of
paths through the Scottish Agricultural College's Craibstone
Estate. Elsewhere it has provided signage, to the Council's
pattern, at the request of landowners to help them manage access
across their land. The Countryside Project has assisted several
community groups or teams of volunteers from the corporate sector
to improve paths through the construction of boardwalks and small
bridges. The Countryside Project is keen to hear from
individuals or local groups who might like to get involved in
practical projects.
The improvement of path networks around Aberdeen involves
partnership. Aberdeen Countryside Project is funded
substantially from Landfill Tax Credits made available by the
City Council, by Shanks Waste Services and by SITA. The Paths
for All Partnership is currently working with the Countryside
Project, through grant aid and technical advice, to help create
and improve several discrete networks. In the delivery of these
and other individual projects additional funding is also being
made available by Scottish Natural Heritage. Sustrans and
Scottish Enterprise Grampian were also amongst those who assisted
with the construction of the Aberdeen section of the Formartine
and Buchan Way. Private sector sponsorship, especially in the
provision of materials and access to equipment, is becoming
increasingly significant as a contribution to path
construction.
Access Officer
The City Council hopes soon to appoint a full-time Access
Officer. This will be a key post responsible for strategy
preparation and ensuring effective links between strategy and
implementation and between the Council and users and landowners.
The aim will be to create a sound basis for the development of
effective, well managed path networks available for use by
walkers, riders and cyclists.
Geoffrey Tudor, Aberdeen City Council
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