BC, WC, OpenMTB and CyclingUK (formerly CTC) have been (remarkably) been working together in a number of access projects recently – the Welsh government access consultation, the recent letter to the minister regards access trials, and a number of other behind the scenes issues (MOD national access forum, FC meetings, approaches to national parks etc.)
Each has a slightly different position, eg. BC is (mainly) racing, but over recent years has spread their remit a bit, OpenMTB is trying to ensure that the MTB community gets heard, while as part of the overall rebranding exercise, CyclingUK have been very much looking again at their Off-road side of things, which ties in with the really important survey going on at the moment (see sticky at top of threads page) that they and OpenMTB are running to actually get to the root of the issues and the real priorities for advocacy and what people want (for the record I have been involved in this as a volunteer and have seen the survey results so far in detail, some of which are pretty surprising). CyclingUK are in some pretty high level meetings with government departments about improving access, but progress is glacial and certain vociferous minorities within ‘the system’ are extremely small c conservative and resistant to change.
Previous experience with IMBA (and with CTC) and inside knowledge of what has gone on has me saying that the MTB community has been remarkably reluctant to support advocacy efforts in its name, or to engage effectively with officialdom, and (like it or not) organisations have difficulty devoting resources when it doesn’t increase membership.
I think it’s pretty depressing that so few clubs see local level advocacy and promoting MTB as part of their remit – when you look at the American clubs (NEMBA, North West Trail Alliance, SORBA etc.) it’s a really core part of their work.
Regards problems in Yorkshire, speak to the guys at Singletraction, or email offroad@cyclinguk.org for some advice.