SIR — You report that Exmoor National Park is claiming that the cost of the freedom-to-roam law 'could be crippling' for Exmoor National Park (Free Press October 6).
However, this is scaremongery. The government has pledged to cover the costs of managing the new access.
It recognises that there are preparation costs and that the costs will increase significantly once the access comes into being in three or four years' time.
It's a shame that the National Park is not instead celebrating the wider benefits which the legislation provides. For instance, it will be good for the economy of the area.
The South West Coast Path alone generates more than £15m per year for the local economy, providing more than 800 local jobs.
With the new freedom to walk responsibly on open country, the possibilities for income generation are exciting and significant. And the park authority will have opportunities to publicise its excellent work to a wider audience.
We know that the new access law is very popular. In an independent opinion poll last August, 85 per cent of people in the West Country said they wanted the bill to become law this year. The government is delivering that and has said it will pay for it. That's a reason to rejoice.
Kate Ashbrook,
Chairman,
Ramblers' Association Access Committee.