INVESTIGATION
By Jamie Mann in THE FERRET
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| Ministers must force public bodies to ditch land access restrictions and fees as high as £700, which have set “a precedent” for other landowners, say running event organisers. |
| People behind popular events including the Ben Nevis Ultra, West Highland Way Race and the Aviemore Triathlon claim red tape, paperwork and fees have ramped up in recent years, which risk making long-running events “unviable”. |
| They slammed the Scottish Government quango Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), which manages forests on behalf of the public, and the UK Government’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) for requiring fees, restrictions and notice periods of up to two years. |
Scotland’s national athletics body called for an urgent review of fees to ensure access rights were protected. Jack McConnell, who was first minister when the land reform act passed, urged landowners to “follow the spirit of the law” and not “exploit” organisers.
THE FULL STORY IS ON THE FERRET WEBSITE
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