Petition hopes to create new bridleways

[ridingsafely]

Petition hopes to create new bridleways

In a bid to improve off-road accessibility and safety for horse riders, an online petition to the Prime Minister is calling for funding and legislation to create new public bridleways.

The petition has been launched by Sue Jeggo, former British Horse Society (BHS) Access Officer for Cambridge (1996 – 2006) and recipient of the BHS’s prestigious 2002 Sefton Award for outstanding work in the field of riding and road safety.

Sue explained to Riding Safely “The Government has abandoned its 'lost highways' project; volunteers simply don’t have the resources to research and claim lost bridleways, so what we need are new linking bridleways to rejoin what’s already there, and in a way that's more compatible with modern land use, rather than the old bridleways in straight lines that were used for trade and travel. It needs funding and government support.”

The petition reads “We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to provide funding and use legislation for creation of new public bridleways.

Horse Riders have access to less than 25% of the current public rights of way network, and face danger when using today’s busy roads.

To ensure appropriate funding is in place and legislation (Highway Act 1980 S26) to be used by local authorities for new bridleways to be shown on definitive maps and ordnance survey maps.

To ensure the Highway Agency develops a national programme of re-instating severed crossing points by creating new dedicated bridle bridges or underpasses as safe crossing points for motorways or trunk roads.

To ensure Local authorities and parish councils develop local joined up community riding circuits of 5-15 miles to rebuild the national bridle route network.”

So far 2,556 people have signed the petition. Sue adds “The petition is going steadily, but we need more names, as the more that sign up, the better chance we have of being taken seriously.”

The petition is open until 28 May 2009 and can be found at: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/publicbridleways/

Original source: http://www.ridingsafely.net/latest_nov_dec_08.html#RBRW

 

[mon]

around us the three shires way is a by way open to all traffic and ruined by 4x4 and motorbikes using it, dangerous to cross A roads on blind corners these need sortng rather than making landowners having to have new and all poaching that could arise from it plus other problems and lessen land value

 

[snaffle]

Mon

if you get in touch with the county council they can put 'traffic regulation orders' on byways to stop 4wd damaging them; also they can repair the surface so its safe for horses.

They can also sort out dangerous crossings of A roads - they are probably dangerous for walkers and cyclist too.

 

[Brandysnap]

Hi Riding-Safely,

I think it's a great idea! How come no-one else has commented, apart from those who suffer the aftermath of wheeled vehicles wrecking land?

(I saw this in the Cairngorms last summer, near Aviemore. I booked a hack with their lovely Highland pony people, rode lovely, kind mare, round estate land. What spoilt it, for my £35 for 1.5 hrs? My lovely mare having to slide around through the Rothiemurchus Forest tracks, because of the havoc the 4-wheel quad bikes hired to fellow tourists had done to the wet tracks, which were shared. Most of our hack was in walk... but we could trot on the roads... Ah well, made new friends, the lady who runs the place really knows her stuff (and thank you for good company!)

Back to topic!! (Sorry for interlude!)

I live in a 'horsey' area in NW, but with winding lanes + more, + faster traffic, which has to be negotiated before i reach any off-road stuff (about a mile away) (+ incidentally, not a designated bridle-path!), it's put me off hacking (unless i get up 5am in summer, then it's magic! Xmas Day is good, too, but then our next door neighbour about half a mile away decided to have a crackly bonfire behind the hedge, 9am Xmas Day!! Takes all sorts....)

I think i'm trying to make the point that riding country lanes is a damn sight more dangerous than simply crossing an 'A'road. All the emphasis on road safety so far seems to be on main roads, when no rider in their right mind would, or would need to, unless totally necessary, ride on them, and i suspect the percentage of riders in the UK who would like a specific 'horse-access' thing across an 'A' road is, in fact, extremely small? Please correct me if i'm wrong.

I would dearly like to see more emphasis on driver education on country roads, and about horse behaviour.

As i would like all riders to be in total control of their horses (sadly an unfunfilled dream on my part!!)

But quite simple - for the rider, get its bum in the hedge, not its nose! (How often do i see that, when i'm driving past em? Reins in loops! EEEK!)

And for the driver - pass wide and slow! Not rocket science.

So if us lot want better canters in the future, and less watching out for cars, taxis, buses + wagons, well, why don't we all sign the petition? (Incidentally, i'm a BHS reg'd instructor, + hadn't heard of this petition until reading it here)

Wishing everyone happy hacking, + hopefully happier in the future! All bests, BS x