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  Disclaimer

Countryside Access

Benefits of LARA Membership.

LARA was founded in the summer of 1986 on the recommendation of the Sports Council’s report ‘Providing for Motorsport: from Image to Reality’ (now usually known as the Elson Report). From this report, LARA has adopted and followed key guiding principles for the tasks it undertakes and the way in which it works: 

·    Effectiveness in Outside Forums.
·    The Image of Motorsports.
·    Loss of Sites & Land.
·    Informal Activities.
·    A National Forum.

 The prioritisation and approach to the various work areas has changed and evolved considerably over the past 21 years. The world in which motor sport and recreation operates is now considerably different from, and far more constraining than, that in 1986, and the rate of change seems likely to continue almost unabated.

 LARA provides its Member Organisations with three really valuable benefits. One is the ‘National Forum’, where all motoring interests regularly come together; the second is the ability to retain the services of specialist consultants to deal with the blizzard of information that now comes out of European, national and local government; and the third is ‘recognition and visibility’: a single point of contact for government, agencies and other organizations.

 Has LARA earned its keep over the years? That is hard to say ‘from the inside’. The Association certainly did well on dealing with the threats from a change to the ‘14/28 day rule’ and the Single Payment Scheme, both of which would have had a serious negative impact on sports events. LARA officers thought that they had a workable outcome to the NERC Bill agreed with the minister, but the backbench MPs’ revolt put paid to that. Was it a LARA failure? Some people now say it was, but they have the benefit of hindsight. LARA’s regional officers have been central to co-ordinating the efforts to keep green lane driving alive in the national parks – particularly the Lakes and Yorkshire Dales.

 Through 2006 and 2007 LARA has undergone considerable change due to the evolving needs and policies of its Member Organisations, and that process has not yet finished. At the moment it looks as though LARA’s ‘office set-up’ will concentrate its purpose and efforts in a refined ‘LARA Focus’: dealing with countryside & environmental issues in motor sport & recreation. Providing a one-stop shop for Member Organisations and a two-way single point of contact for Government & Agencies.

 Is there still a need for LARA? Should LARA change its purpose even further? Only its Member Organisations, via the Steering Committee, can decide that.

The rest of this page allows access to information about types of access in the countryside available to ALRC Clubs and their members.

Divided into two main topics, links are provided below for Off Road and Rights of Way articles.