At our Members’ Forum on 24th March 2025, we discussed the various issues arising from new infrastructure projects being funded as “Active Travel” which are generally excluding equestrians with the ostensible reason that funding is primarily aimed at translating utility journeys into low-carbon forms, and therefore because equestrian journeys are ‘only leisure’ they do not […]
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ELM scheme Test & Trial 159A Final report
The Trails Trust was commissioned by DEFRA to carry out a ‘Test and Trial’ with the aim of incentivising green infrastructure public access and biodiversity creation in land management. This will inform the Environmental Land Management scheme (ELM) and was carried out in the Mendip Hills Test Area. We are pleased to share our Final […]
Case to abolish 2026 cut-off
The Trails Trust Trustees and members call upon Government to abandon the 2026 deadline to register unrecorded Rights of Way. Read our press release and full briefing note here:
2021 DEFRA Tests & Trials
Test 159 – How to incentivise green infrastructure access & biodiversity creation The Trails Trust and the Mendip Hills Team are pleased to be able to publish the final report Background Leaving the EU has given a unique opportunity to redesign agricultural policies and design future schemes that reward environmental land management. The new schemes […]
Response to DEFRA consultation on ELM
In June 2020, DEFRA re-launched its previously paused consultation on the design of a new Environmental Land Management scheme (ELM). This is the response that The Trails Trust submitted:
Trustees’ Report, 2019
The Trails Trust Management Board held a trustee meeting followed by the 2019 AGM on Thursday July 4th 2019 at Virginia Cottage, Upper Vobster, Radstock, BA3 5SA by kind invitation of Amy and Keith Reynolds. All members were invited to attend. The 2019 Trustees’ report is given here:
TTT / MHAONB trial proposal
TTT in partnership with the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (MHAONB) unit has submitted a green infrastructure (rights of way) trial proposal to Defra to be considered as a public access test under the environmental land management subsidy scheme trials. See more about the Mendip Hills AONB at http://www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk
“A Green Future”
The Government has published its 25 Year Environment Plan which can be accessed online here. This is associated with the Agriculture Bill 2018. TTT has responded to the passage of the bill by submitting written evidence as shared here: TTT has also submitted a trial proposal within the Mendip Hills AONB area:
The Creation of Highways
The Trails Trust publication – all about express dedication – case law and benefits of use to landowners, users and local highway authorities Express Dedication at Common Law (EDCL) This paper provides a legal basis for both the Defra Guidance and an analysis of the benefits of using highway creation through express dedication and acceptance […]
GDPR and Privacy Policy
In line with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) coming into force in the UK in May 2018, we have published our GDPR Internal Policy, and our Privacy Policy, as below: