There was a view in the Shropshire hills in the 1990s that the building of new roads around Shrewsbury had led to more crime. It was much easier to get to the countryside and out of it again than it used to be.
But a Conservative councillor over the border in Powys has another explanation for rural crime. It's the ramblers.
The County Times quotes Les George from Caersws contribution to a scrutiny committee meeting on crime:
"With the ensuing policies of the Welsh Government that are opening up the countryside to the general public, this is obviously going to be detrimental to safety and rural crime.
"How are we going to overcome that?
"Because you are inviting people from anywhere into the countryside.
"They are walking the footpaths and bridleways and straying off them.
"Some footpaths actually go through farmyards and people may go on walks specifically for crime reasons.
"Is there some ways of policy to prevent that.”There is something about footpaths that annoys rural Tories far beyond a concern about any burden they place on farmers.
When Labour was in the ascendancy they defended fox hunting by presenting it as part of a minority culture that should be cherished like any other.
Now Blair's victories are a distant memory they have gone back to "Get of my land".
But I am a Liberal, and God gave the land to the people.
No comments:
Post a Comment