This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Prediction of "rural renaissance"
04/10/2002
Investment in a national path network, as part of a plan
to open up Scotland's countryside, is expected to help
provide rural communities with greater economic
opportunities, Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie said
today.
Speaking at the annual Border Visions conference, Mr
Finnie confirmed that £7.4 million would be used to improve
path networks and their management.
The investment, announced in the 2002 Scottish budget,
will support improved access rights under the Land Reform
Scotland Bill, which is currently progressing through
Parliament.
The Border Visions-Rural Renaissance Conference at
Hexham in Northumberland is considering the future of rural
communities following last year's foot-and-mouth
outbreak.
Mr Finnie said:
"Foot and Mouth brought home the terrible cost of a
closed countryside. Significant damage to the economies of
farming communities on both sides of the border was
exacerbated by the fact that visitors were advised not to
travel to the countryside to avoid spreading further the
disease.
"While much must be done to ensure all of the lessons
from that tragedy are learned, one positive outcome has
been the way the Scottish Executive was able to work with
local communities to bring the disease under control and
begin the work of recovery.
"Looking forward, the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill will
give a right of responsible access, providing people with
greater confidence to visit the Scottish countryside.
"Critical to the success of these new access provisions,
is the availability of good path networks across the length
and breadth of Scotland, including in the south of
Scotland.
"Our commitment throughout the recent Scottish budget
was to deliver opportunity and growth to all of Scotland's
communities. The additional resources we have announced to
improve the path networks and their management will help to
open Scotland's countryside further.
"This investment, together with legislation we are
taking forward, is creating new economic opportunities for
rural communities and delivering a better rural
Scotland."