Peter Burgess said:
Mendip has huge potential for more discoveries. We are not talking about the present situation here. Conservation minded cavers and owners will be reluctant to open up new sites if they think there is the slightest chance of legislation being used to put them at risk.
not sure the conservation is an issue as if this is an issue then section 26 will allow a gate and access controlled like we see at the newly extended festers hole. and if conservation is our primary goal then no caver would ever enter a cave cause as soon as we do we change its whole being. HLIS being on private land and being gated did not stop it being vandalised. and the mere fact we are digging is this not a conservation issue?
and not sure why crow would be an issue as diggers with or without crow still have to gain permission from the relevant people/ne already. those that don't are and will be breaking the law.
landowners who already have an issue with cavers will still have an issue with cavers,
those cavers who already flout excisting access arrangements will still flout them crow or no crow