Wiltshire and Swindon Countryside Access Forum

The Wiltshire and Swindon Countryside Access Forum (WSCAF) offers strategic advice and comment to Wiltshire Council, Swindon Borough Council and other statutory and independent bodies on ways to improve access to the countryside for outdoor recreation and sustainable travel, and on public rights of way matters.

The Wiltshire and Swindon Countryside Access Forum (WSCAF) is a Local Access Forum (LAF) established under the legislation.gov.uk: Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (opens new window) (CRoW 2000). LAFs advise decision making organisations, such as local authorities, Defra and Natural England, about making improvements to public access for outdoor recreation and sustainable travel. They are regulated by The Local Access Forums (England) Regulations 2007 (opens new window). Advice about how the Regulations should be applied is contained in the Guidance on Local Access Forums in England, which was issued by Defra in 2007.

The WSCAF is a joint LAF and has responsibility for the whole of Wiltshire and the area administered by Swindon Borough Council. Details of Wiltshire's and Swindon Borough Council's rights of way network are as follows:

Rights of way network miles
Rights of way type and miles by location	Wiltshire (miles)	Swindon (miles)	Total (miles)
Footpaths	2,248	136	2,384
Bridleways	951	46	997
Restricted byways	143	1	144
Byways open to all traffic	509	10	519
Total	3,851	193	4,044

Wiltshire's 509 miles of Byways Open to All Traffic (BOAT) represent 22% of all the BOATs in England. These, together with open green spaces (access land), provide an invaluable network for public recreation, travel and health, a refuge for wildlife, and attractions for visitors which help to boost the local economy.

Whilst it is hosted by Wiltshire Council, which also undertakes its administrative functions, the WSCAF is an entirely independent body. It engages with the local councils and LAFs of Hampshire, The New Forest, West Berkshire, Dorset, North Somerset, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, West Berkshire and Bath & North East Somerset for cross-boundary matters.

The members of the WSCAF represent a range of interests relevant to accessing the countryside and rights of way matters.

They are volunteers who are appointed jointly by Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council to represent an interest rather than a specific organisation.

Their aim is to appoint members of the public with experience in aspects of rights of way matters and countryside recreation, to achieve a balance between users of rights of way (such as walkers, horse riders, carriage drivers, cyclists, disabled users and vehicle users), those who provide access to them (such as land owners, farmers and land managers) and other users (such as those involved in forestry, conservation and tourism). It is this wide range of interests which enables the WSCAF to provide balanced advice.

WSCAF Members 2023: A list of the members and information (OpenDocument text format) [36KB] (opens new window)

WSCAF members are appointed for a three-year term. The current term will end in March 2024

Although the Forum has a fairly full membership, we would welcome applications for membership from farmers and land managers, individuals with mobility or visual impairments, or the equivalent, those involved in forestry, conservation and tourism, and other interests not currently represented - please complete and return an Application form (Word doc) [44KB] (opens new window) .

More information about a member's role job description (Word doc) [53KB] (opens new window) .

The WSCAF's Terms of reference (Word doc) [78KB] (opens new window) .

Briefing Note on the Wiltshire and Swindon Countryside Access Forum

Provided by Tim Lewis Chair of the Forum June 2023 Briefing note on the Wiltshire and Swindon Countryside Access Forum (OpenDocument text format) [7KB] (opens new window)

This paper, which was prepared by Nigel Linge, the chair of the Wiltshire and Swindon Countryside Access Forum (WSCAF) at the time, was formally endorsed by the WSCAF at its meeting on 4 July 2019. It contains much useful information about Wiltshire Council's Rights of Way and Countryside department, even though it has since been absorbed by the Council's Highways department. It also makes a number of recommendations about how to address the many problems described in the report. The present WSCAF is monitoring the implementation of those that are still applicable.

Nigel Linge's RoW Maintenance paper 5 July 2019 (Word doc) [1MB] (opens new window)

Wiltshire and Swindon Countryside Access Forum Annual Report

Wiltshire and Swindon Countryside Access Forum Annual Report 2021/2022 (OpenDocument text format) [11KB] (opens new window)

The WSCAF was reconstituted in 2021 and its first meeting was held on 2 March 2021 The minutes and papers discussed at meetings since its reconstitution can be viewed within the minutes and papers area below.

The next WSCAF meeting

The next meeting of the Wiltshire and Swindon Countryside Access Forum takes place on Wednesday 10 April the meeting will start at 2pm. The meeting will be held in Civic Meeting Room 6, Swindon Borough Council, Civic Offices, Euclid Street, Swindon, SN1 2JH. The meeting will run as a hybrid meeting, anyone who is not able to attend in person can join the meeting virtually.

If you wish to attend the meeting virtually, please email matthew.hale@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window) before 5pm on Tuesday 9 April.

Future meetings
Date	Time	Location
Wednesday 10 April 2024	2pm	Main Civic Building, Euclid Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN1 2JH
Wednesday 31 July 2024	To be confirmed	To be confirmed
Wednesday 6 November 2024	To be confirmed	To be confirmed

These meetings are open to members of the public, subject to certain conditions and the capacity of the venue. If you would like to ask questions about the activities of the Forum, please submit them to the secretary in writing no later than five working days before a meeting. If the questioner is not present at the meeting, an answer will be provided by email or post after the meeting. Only one question may be asked by a member of the public at any meeting, and the agenda will allow for a maximum of ten minutes to answer questions from members of the public.

Minutes and paper

Contact us

To contact any member of the forum please contact the WSCAF Secretary in the first instance: rightsofway@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).

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Wiltshire and Swindon Countryside Access Forum