I'm not talking about taking rights away, I'm talking about relaxation of current restrictions. The "anti" lobby will use whatever argument it can find to oppose it, much as the anti-cycling infrastructure lobby makes a big deal out of all cyclists being lycra clad maniacs jumping red lights.
Of course the Ramblers know it to be a poor idea. What is applied to us can then be applied to them. As for cycling UK I have no reason to believe they are any less useless than they were when they were CTC. I went to numerous meetings over a ten year period resulting in not one outcome. They asked me to be their offroad Gov rep then spent three months failing to sort out my expenses. I said I couldn't see the point of fronting an organisation that was so utterly gormless.
"Current restrictions" is a euphemism for laws. You need Parliament to change them and they are likely to have other things on their mind for at least the next 7 years.
