Road closed/roadworks and riding?

[B.F.G]

I was wondering where we stand with riding down lanes that have signs up saying road closed?
It's a little bit over a single track road, the very edge is being dug up for water pipes to be laid and there is high fencing to prevent anyone (workmen?) Falling in. The road is closed due to a dumper truck needing to move the dug up road about 250yrds and obviously for the digger to work as it takes up about half the width of the road. I can totally understand them closing it to vehicles as not enough room for anyone to pass.
The road is closed for a total of 300yrds however to avoid this little bit of road it's about a 4mile detour on a very busy, fast main road which people don't ride down at the best of times. The only other way to hack is to go on a busy b road where there have been a few near misses in recent months.
So basically are horses allowed to ride down the closed stretch of road? Plenty of room for a horse. The dumper truck goes back and forth once loaded which doesn't take long to load and reverses very slowly. Tried to give as much detail. ?

 

[CMcC]

If the road is passable I would continue to ride along it.
If challenged explain that the other routes are not suitable/safe for riding.

 

[doodle]

I would say no it’s not ok to ride down.

 

[Gloi]

It's been happening a lot round here and I always take advantage of the closed roads to have a quiet ride away from much traffic. Most times there has been no trouble but once or twice I have had a tight squeeze past a tarmac wagon. THe workmen have always been fine.

 

[CouldItBe]

I would say no it’s not ok to ride down.

Why?

 

[Gloi]

Why?

Because

 

[ihatework]

I would say if the road is closed, it’s closed and you shouldn’t automatically have the right to ride down it.

That said, I’d probably give it a go and smile sweetly at the workmen, but not get stroppy with them if they turn you back

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Unless the road is closed to pedestrian as well as vehicles, there is nothing to stop you dismounting if challenged. Half the time round here when roads are closed there is no actual work going on.

 

[Baywonder]

I have ridden down lanes / roads that were closed for roadworks - if they were passable safely. I just asked one of the workmen if it was okay to ride through, and I was always told it was okay.

 

[Gloi]

I always go thinking that if it is impassable I can turn back.

 

[B.F.G]

I've turned back from other places where the road is dug up across the road so cannot safely go down there.
This one is dug up.down the side of the road with enough room left for a dumper truck to drive up and down. Takes between 10 and 20mins for it to be filled up to the top and reversed back down to get emptied.
The sign has been up since October saying road to be closed from 2nd November for 32 days. I rode down there on Sunday and no work etc had started. We rode down there today and the sign was across the road but no workmen, we were prepared to turn around but didn't need. Came back the same way (back way into the yard is just round the corner) and the workmen were there (hence how I know how long it takes to fill the truck and dump it takes). 2 blokes switched the engines/machinery off and smiled, the dumper truck reversed back but the one guy snapped that the road is closed end of. We did get through this time but wondered if there were rules etc.
I couldn't see any sign saying anything about pedestrians. Just the one sign.

 

[irishdraft]

Yes I would ride down closed roads there is generally enough room for a horse to get by . My lane was closed for a month recently while they put Internet cables in I find workmen are generally fine.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I've turned back from other places where the road is dug up across the road so cannot safely go down there.
This one is dug up.down the side of the road with enough room left for a dumper truck to drive up and down. Takes between 10 and 20mins for it to be filled up to the top and reversed back down to get emptied.
The sign has been up since October saying road to be closed from 2nd November for 32 days. I rode down there on Sunday and no work etc had started. We rode down there today and the sign was across the road but no workmen, we were prepared to turn around but didn't need. Came back the
same way (back way into the yard is just round the corner) and the workmen were there (hence how I know how long it takes to fill the truck and dump it takes). 2 blokes switched the engines/machinery off and smiled, the dumper truck reversed back but the one guy snapped that the road is closed end of. We did get through this time but wondered if there were rules etc.
I couldn't see any sign saying anything about pedestrians. Just the one sign.

I certainly wouldn't expect to disrupt the work, so that I could pass through.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I have ridden down a closed road early mornings or evenings but not when the workmen are trying to do their job.

 

[PapaverFollis]

My understanding is that most "Road Closed" relates to an order that prohibits vehicular traffic and technically, where possible, access for pedestrians should be maintained. I'm not sure where horses and cyclists fit into that. I've certainly walked along a lot of closed roads quite happily. I'd have ridden along them as well.

 

[scruffyponies]

I would speak to the workers, and if at all possible go down there, if only to 'meet' the heavy plant - nothing like an opportunity to acquaint your horse with a 40tonne road roller or a 360 excavator.
Did this recently - couldn't actually get past as they were laying tarmac but the workers were happy to chat for a few minutes, which is great experience for the pony.

 

[B.F.G]

We were stood in a farm gateway just watching, we didnt expect them to stop work. They actually stopped themselves and the dumper truck was heading to empty the load so it was not us being there with expectations for them to stop. To be fair the second farm gateway where vehicles go in was right next to where the guy was standing. We would have turned around and we thought it was going to be a definite until they switched machines off and the only time we heard noise again was when the dumper went back up.
Theres been workmen on the lanes before and they've always said if weare gappy to pass then carry on, they are normally local workmen and it's a close not community anyway. 3 of the 4 workmen were nice, happy and polite. Which is why i was confused and thought maybe all the others past and present have just been nice because of the closeness and maybe he's not a local so to speak and follows rules (if that's the case). I will phone the council and ask about signage and then maybe phone the company and ask them about it all.

 

[spacefaer]

We ride past road closed signs without any qualms. If we can get through, we do, if not, we turn around and go back. No stress!

There are so many random roadworks popping up round here with the Highways Agency or Severn Trent mainly that we'd never be able to get anywhere if we didn't at least try!

What's the worst that can happen? You're not going to get uniformed police officers knocking on your front door ??

 

[Winters100]

I would just ask them

 

[dogatemysalad]

We had 2 years of road closures and partial road closures in our village. The workmen were brilliant. They said it was fine to ride through. They laughed and said they didn't discriminate between two legs and four legs.
They always stopped heavy machinery to let us pass and were virtually body guards when one side of the road was closed and motorists where behaving like idiots.
Almost miss them now they've gone. The road works were great training for young horses.

 

[Leandy]

I think that technically horses constitute traffic and so road closed means that they shouldn't use it. (Same for cyclists.) That said, if it is easy and safe to use the road, and noone working there objects, then I would use it (and have done in the past). It is not so easy for horses to take a diversion given extra distance and possible unsuitabilty of alternative roads so I wouldn't think that approach is unreasonable and often a road may be perfectly passable by horses when not larger vehicles. I wouldn't expect to disrupt work going on though. Accept it is a bit tricky if you have to come back the same way and find work has restarted or they have dug a bit hole in the way! That is the risk you take!

 

[stormox]

If you were riding down a closed road and you happened to have an accident (ie fall in a hole or kick a workman) would your insurance cover you?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

You can lead a horse on a footpath, just as you can walk alongside a bicycle, so if you dismount it is perfectly legal to use the road if there is room to pass the roadworks.

 

[MuddyMonster]

You can lead a horse on a footpath, just as you can walk alongside a bicycle, so if you dismount it is perfectly legal to use the road if there is room to pass the roadworks.

Can you really? I had no idea!

 

[PapaverFollis]

Many footpaths originally cane into being to move bulls and stallions between farms. So leading a horse along one should be acceptable. Tricky with styles and kissing gates though.

 

[Pedantic]

Use the safest option for you and the horse.

 

[rabatsa]

It is not legal to lead, ride or drive a horse on a footpath.

 

[Orangehorse]

Horses are in a strange place regarding traffic regulations because they are not traffic. I would ride down the closed road, so long as you physically can get through OK and you are not going to really annoy the workmen. Generally they don't start work until 9.30 am and pack up about 3.30 pm.

A lane down here was closed after a lorry pulled down a telegraph pole and all the lines with it. The other day I spoke to a lost looking BT van driver and told him where it was and asked if it was OK to ride up the lane. He said OK they hadn't started work yet.