Land ownership under fire

I COMMEND the work of Rob Edwards and Karin Goodwin (Scotland must end its absurdly outdated land ownership system, News, August 14). However, Scotland does not have “fantastic legislation that allows us who love outdoors to roam on mountains, islands and lochs” (Time to fire gun on new land ownership laws, Editorial, August 14).

The Land Reform Act 2016 contains ambivalent wording. It states that “the owner of land in respect of which access rights are exercisable shall not, for the purpose or for the main purpose of preventing or deterring any person entitled to exercise these rights from doing so: (a) put up any sign or notice; (b) put up any fence or wall, or plant, grow or permit to grow any hedge, tree or other vegetation; (c) position or leave at large any animal; (d) carry out any agricultural or other operation on the land; or (e) take, or fail to take, any other action.

In one breath it confirms that it is illegal for a landowner to impede a traveller. By the next it confirms that a landowner can legally stop a legitimate traveller by any means – provided he can claim his primary purpose is not to curtail that traveller’s progress. The landowner is allowed to proffer any obtuse reason for erecting a barricade across a road. Their paranoia with country lovers knows no bounds despite our care of the countryside and our generous subsidies to them. Arthur Greenan East Linton MOVES to establish a land register must be strengthened. The current “aim” is to complete the register by 2024. Even then, registration is voluntary, therefore will never be complete without a change in legislation. Land reform cannot be undertaken without a universal land register. Catherine Gilchrist Bowmore, Islay