North Yorkshire ramblers today welcomed Tony Blair's announcement of a statutory right to roam.

About four million acres of mountain, moor, heath, down and common land will be opened up to walkers.

But they will have "clear responsibilities" to respect the rights of landowners.

The new right to roam will not cover developed or agricultural land, other than that used for extensive grazing. Dogs will have to be on leads.

Mike Addy, chairman of the York Ramblers Group, said: "This is good news for all walkers in this area, and at face value we welcome the decision.

"It seems to cover a majority of what we want and goes quite a long way to achieving our aims, which we've worked towards for a long time."

Landowners will be able to close land temporarily - without having to seek consent - for up to 28 days a year. This will allow farmers to close fields during lambing.

Environment Minister Michael Meacher surprised the Commons by announcing that a right to roam would be introduced once parliamentary time was found.

But he risked the wrath of landowners who had expected the proposals to be watered down.

Mr Meacher said: "Only a new statutory right will deliver cost-effectively the extent and permanence of access we are seeking."

Hugh Bayley, York MP and Junior Social Security Minister, said: "As a regular walker in the North York Moors and the Dales, I have been lobbying hard for legal backing to the right to roam.

"I was delighted with Michael Meacher's statement and so will thousands of my constituents be."

Landowners will receive no compensation. Councils will be asked to set up local forums to try to reach voluntary agreements about access to land.

If this fails, the new Countryside Agency could intervene. This has angered some ramblers since the newly-appointed chairman Ewen Cameron is a past president of the Country Landowners Association.

He has been involved in a dispute with ramblers over access to his land in Somerset.

But Ryedale Tory MP John Greenway warned that the interests of ramblers must not be overriding.

He said: "Where there is a doubt, the benefit of that doubt must be given to the environment and the sensitivity of the landscape."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.