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Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

My Lords, I hope the Government and my noble friend will think very hard about the amendment before us. As we have heard, there is a great deal of strong feeling, and there is no doubt that this will affect hundreds of footpaths and bridleways. I am sure that is not the Government’s intention. It is not only the peace and calmness of horse riders and walkers that will be affected; it is even more fundamental than that. One has only to look at some of these so-called rights of way—particularly in the upland areas of northern England—to see the devastating effect on some of those tracks, sometimes to such an extent that they can no longer be used as footpaths or bridleways. As my noble friend has already said, this is not a point of principle. We all concede the principle. There has to be retrospection; it is only a question of what would be the appropriate date. The appropriate date—which will save more of our green lanes, bridleways and footpaths—is something we really ought to try to achieve.