English River Access is Very Limited

Many people in England want to visit local rivers during hot summers. But new data from a campaign group shows a big problem. Almost seventy-five percent of riverbanks have no public access. So the public cannot use most of the water.

The Right to Roam campaign group studied eighty-nine river catchments in England. In these catchments, seventy-one percent of riverbanks are private. People cannot walk within one hundred metres of the water. This situation is the same in both cities and countryside.

Lewis Winks is a scientist and he led this research. He spoke about the importance of rivers during hot weather. In his opinion, access to water is a basic right. People need the benefits of nature during hot days.

In England and Wales, ninety-six percent of rivers have no public rights. So, landowners often stop people from swimming or paddling. Also, the public cannot use most of the lakes and reservoirs. People must stay away from these beautiful places.

The campaigners want Angela Eagle to help them. She is the new environment secretary in the government. They want a new law for better access. This law will protect the right to enjoy nature.

Kate Rew is from the Outdoor Swimming Society. She wants to see living rivers across the country. In her view, nature makes people healthier and happier. But people do not fight for closed places.

There are big differences in river access across the country. In Shropshire, the public cannot use ninety percent of the riverbank. But in the New Forest, this number is forty-nine percent. Some places have much better rights than others.

Many famous walking trails do not follow their rivers. The Severn Way path stays far from the River Severn. In some areas, the path is eight hundred metres away.

The government plans to make nine new walks near rivers. But the walk on the River Mersey did not add access. People still want a real right to roam.