UK - Approach control and terrain clearance in class G
Departing Filton yesterday, I paused for thought.
IFR departure from runway 27, requested level FL50, requested track NE. Filton sits under the Bristol CTA, so the usual procedure for non-airways is a climb to 3000 ft until clear of the CTA, before further climb.
Clearance in this case was to climb straight ahead to 2000 ft after departure. On climb-out handed to Filton Radar, given a Radar Information Service. Then instructed to turn on track, own navigation to [waypoint a long way away to the NE]. But no climb to 3000 ft yet, presumably due traffic.
So at this point, who has primary responsibility for terrain clearance? I'm an IFR flight assigned a level of 2000 ft by approach control, in an area where the 25 nm SSA on my chart is higher than my assigned level. I'm on a Radar Information Service and not receiving vectors. Should I have politely declined to maintain 2000 ft?
I hasten to add, this is an academic point. I was in VMC at 2000 ft. Filton was excellent as always, and a climb to FL50 was instructed before I left the 2000 ft ring on the MVA chart, so there was never any question of the flight's safety being compromised by terrain. But it made me wonder if I could depend on ATC for the assignment of terrain-safe levels in these circumstances.