MPs row over moonlit walks

The bill will open up millions of acres of land to walkers

People's fondness for moonlit walks in the countryside has sparked a row in the Commons.

Conservatives have insisted walkers should not be allowed onto open land until an hour before sunrise and should be forced to leave within an hour of sunset.

It is very pleasant to go out at night, particularly if it's a moonlit night

Andrew Bennett MP, Labour

But Labour MPs said bird- and badger-watchers would be hit hard by such restrictions.

The row began in a debate over the Countryside and Rights of Way Bill, which is going through its remaining stages in Parliament.

The Bill gives the public greater rights of way over open countryside and protects wild species and habitats.

The Bill aims to:

create a right to roam over about four million acres of the nation's mountain, moor, heath, down and registered common land

require local authorities to draw up plans to improve their rights of way networks

include landowner safeguards to protect wildlife and land use

introduce new powers to end the obstruction of rights of way

better protect Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)

The proposal to restrict night-time access came from Tory environment spokesman Damian Green. As he put forward opposition amendments to the Bill, he also suggested extending the times when dogs should be kept on leads.

Watching sunsets

But Labour MP Andrew Bennett, president of the Ramblers' Association and chairman of the Environment Select Committee, said that while he thought dogs should be on a lead at all times, restricting access at night was not a good idea.

"Large numbers of people now go out onto access land at night and they cause no problems whatsoever," he said.

Local councils will have to improve rights of way

In the 1930s, moonlight walks on Kinder in the Peak District were very popular, Mr Bennett told MPs.

"It is very pleasant to go out at night, particularly if it's a moonlit night ... and you will not cause problems with it," he added.

Environment Minister Michael Meacher said there were various reasons why some people might wish to have night access to the mountains and moorlands.

Some may wish to see a sunset or sunrise. Others may need shelter overnight having got caught in bad weather.

"At the same time, I recognise that there are genuinely-held concerns about the impact of night access," he said.

"But we should not exaggerate them. We are talking about uncultivated land, which is usually well away from where people live."

The National Trust and Forestry Commission had had few problems with operating a policy of night access, the minister said.

"For all these reasons, I am not inclined to accept restrictions on night access," he said.

15 football pitches

Conservatives also sought to exclude small areas of open land from the "right to roam" reforms.

Mr Meacher said: "We believe 10 hectares, which is about 25 acres and the equivalent of 15 football pitches, is a substantial area of land and is therefore potentially valuable for the purposes of access."

He said landowners would still be able to apply to have certain areas excluded.

Proposals to ban fox hunting have been dropped from the Bill since the government announced plans for a free vote on the issue.

MPs are expected to continue the debate on Wednesday.

The Bill is expected to get a rough ride in the Lords, as peers may oppose many of the measures opening up the countryside.