Access to nature inquiry launched by All-Party Parliamentary Group

The All Party Parliamentary Group for Outdoor Recreation and Access to Nature has today (1 July 2025) launched a Call for Evidence as part of a new inquiry to examine ideas for changes in policy and legislation that would enable more people to access green and blue spaces. The inquiry is welcoming evidence from people of all backgrounds, to help shape ideas for enabling more people to enjoy the outdoors.

Access to nature delivers multiple health, economic and environmental benefits for society. Despite this, access to nature in England is still fragmented and unequal and too many people face practical barriers when accessing the outdoors. Approximately, only 30% of adults in England live more than 15 minutes walk from an accessible green or blue space. Fewer than 4% of rivers have clear navigation rights. Roughly 20% of people cannot use a Public Right of Way because of mobility issues, a result of unnecessary barriers on the network such as gates and stiles.

The Government’s manifesto included a commitment to improve access to nature, with more details expected later in 2025.

• It is estimated that over 34 million people, including 1.9 million children, engage in outdoor activity. Outdoor Recreation activities have experienced some of the most positive swings post COVID of all activities tracked in Active Lives Survey.
• Outdoor activities generate around £22bn for the UK economy, with around £8.4bn being generated by trips that involve outdoor recreation.
• Despite this, the UK ranks lowest of 14 European Nations on nature connectedness. We also rank 11 out of 15 nations on levels of physical activity. Physical inactivity is linked to 1 in 6 deaths in the UK.

BMC Head of Access & Environment, Dr. Cath Flitcroft, says, "The BMC has always been at the forefront of the campaign for responsible access to nature and the outdoors, but current access policy and legislation isn’t working for everyone. We want to see more people, more active in more places, as we’ve expressed before in the Outdoors for All manifesto. This APPG Inquiry examines proposals needed to enable more people to access our green and blue spaces. Please share this widely so that we can gather as much information as possible to take to the current government to try and influence future direction."

The call for written evidence can be accessed here

Andy McNae MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Outdoor Recreation & Access to Nature, says, “Britain is a beautiful country, with an amazing variety of landscapes to enjoy. We know that getting out into nature is good for our bodies, our minds and our economy, with the outdoor industry supporting over 500,000 jobs and sustaining many rural communities. Despite this, so much of the English countryside remains inaccessible and unconnected. Only 8% of land and just 4% of our rivers have an uncontested right of access, with the public footpaths we do have often blocked and in disrepair”.

Andy added, “The Government has the opportunity to put this right, enabling the broadest possible group of people to access and enjoy our countryside. We should especially focus on expanding access to those for whom physical, economic or social obstacles limit their engagement with nature.”

The inquiry is considering ideas for new legislation and / or policy proposals which would:

• Enable more people to make use of existing access opportunities (including open access and public rights of way).
• Improve access to landscapes (woodlands, riversides, water bodies, downland) and the safeguards needed for the environment and land management.
• Enable more people to undertake a broader range of responsible outdoor activities and the safeguards needed for the environment and land management.
• Ensure green and blue spaces are more evenly distributed and better connected.
• Ensure access to nature is better used to support health and wellbeing outcomes.
• Increase access to sites of public or historic interest
• Enable more people, particularly children, young people and underrepresented groups, to regularly experience and engage with green and blue spaces.

The call for written evidence is now open

The APPGOR&A2N is inviting written submissions from individuals, organisations, and experts. These may include:

• Organisations representing a diverse range of outdoor users.
• Access policy experts.
• Organisations working with children and young people.
• Organisations working with people from minority backgrounds, low-income households and those living with disabilities and/ or ill health.
• Land managers and owners with experience of people accessing land for outdoor recreation.

Deadline for submissions is midnight 20 July 2025.

The call for written evidence can be accessed here