Why are we losing our Bridlepaths?!

I wouldn't take a horse down my local bridleway - far too stony (though at least the trees have been cut back). Mind you as it comes out on a main road i'm not sure why you'd want to take a horse down it anyway.

Said bridleway is part of an ancient track which is variously a dirt road and residential street.
 
We used to have a lovely long bridleway which ran through the farmers fields and a river. He decided to cut it all off about ten years ago, and since I moved in 8 yrs ago I've contacted the council on a few occasions but they can't help, they just say if the farmer didn't want the bridleway running through his land any more and he had a good reason then he is allowed to keep it closed.
We only have about 10 mins of bridleway now in one long stretch, it's very stoney and my horse now goes lame on it and there's no where to go for a canter.
Once my baby's born and my little cobs broken in I'm going to move yards.
 
SNORKEY said:
We used to have a lovely long bridleway which ran through the farmers fields and a river. He decided to cut it all off about ten years ago, and since I moved in 8 yrs ago I've contacted the council on a few occasions but they can't help, they just say if the farmer didn't want the bridleway running through his land any more and he had a good reason then he is allowed to keep it closed.
We only have about 10 mins of bridleway now in one long stretch, it's very stoney and my horse now goes lame on it and there's no where to go for a canter.
Once my baby's born and my little cobs broken in I'm going to move yards.
Click to expand...

Snorkey, this doesn't sound right. First check whether the route is recorded on the definitive map for the area - inspect this at your county council(or unitary authority) offices. If it is, then it is conclusive in law that it exists. The county council has a duty to assert and protect the highway for the use of the public. It is not up to a landowner or manager to close a path, it is public property. And it is a criminal matter to obstruct the highway (including the bridleway)!

If, however, it is not on the definitive map, then the council won't do anything until you get it recorded. This can be from showing it was used by the public for 20 years, or by showing that it used to be a bridleway and just wasn't recorded. See Rights of Way restoring the Record for a step by step guide to recording historic paths, if that applies to your one. But first, check the definitive map at the council offices (some are also on line).
https://www.facebook.com/RestoringTheRecord
 
I find half of the reason our bridleways are disappearing is apathy:(
Riders must get more pro active in protecting what you have, like the cyclist have.
Someone here mentioned about local forums. Find out if/where your council hold their Rights of Way forums and ask if there is a horseriding representative on the panel. If not make sure someone goes to the meetings, even if its just to listen and learn, that's what I did about twelve years ago and now the RoW department always contact me when there is anything going on that would affect horse riders.
I even contact the Highways dept every six months or so to find out where they are resurfacing roads to make sure they don't use SMA on roads that are used by horse riders, and they are very obliging and send the info.
Don't be put off or be worried about making your voice heard because if you don't, they (the Rights of Way dept) won't help you.
I anything happens to your bridleways or they are overgrown, ring them up and do the three "P's" Politely, Persistently, Pester and they will take notice.
If there is a bridleway across land that is to be built on, make sure the rights of way department are protecting it. We have a bw going right through a recent development and some of the Section 106 money was used to improve it. Another field near me is earmarked for development soon and I've asked our RoW dept to grab some of the Section 106 money to get them to build a new bw through it as it would cut out a long trek down a busy main road and lead to other off road safe routes.
Don't sit back and take it or rely on someone else doing the fighting for you - get together and make a noise if you want improvements.
 
Last edited:
OP - actually Worcestershire are pretty good about ROW - but it doesn't hurt to give them a prod. You can contact them easily via the Worcestershire Hub. The last time I made a report I got a phone call by from a ROW officer in the couple of days.

If a bridlepath is going to be built over, then an alternative multi-user way should (will??) be offered. Get the BHS involved to help get a good new route and properly fenced, etc.

As for cows - well I had the world's most nervous horse in the world, but a farmer is allowed to put his cows in the field and frankly it is your problem, not the horses. Mine would pant with fear if she was in the same field as cows. I had to pick and choose my rides and the time of year. However, I know that Worcestershire ROW department made a farmer alter some fences as his cows were causing some problems. I think it was probably a dairy herd, so they tended to be in the same place all the time.

There is also an active Local Access Forum in worcestershire, so maybe you could draw their attention to the development at Redditch too.

As for the loss of the bridlepath - once a road, always a road. It is case law. Get in touch with the Ramblers and look at their website. You can serve a Notice on a Local Council to force them to re-open a bridlepath.

SEE BELOW, especially no. 12

The procedure for removing an obstruction - locked gates, barbed wire, derelict machinery, fallen trees etc etc etc is as follows:

Send a report of the obstruction to your local authority PRoW Department, and ask them for a timescale when action will be taken. KEEP COPIES! (Could SEND BY RECORDED DELIVERY! )

The report should contain the following information:

1. Your full name and contact details.
2. Date the problem discovered.
3. How long it has been a problem (if ongoing).
4. Full details of path: Type of path. Number of path.
5. In which parish is the path?
6. Grid references of start and end of path, and of position of obstruction.
7. Name of property on which path is situated (if known eg name of farm, wood, estate, park). (These path details should be checked on the definitive map if you have the slightest doubt about anything; in any case you will need to see the definitive map in order to quote the parish name and path number). The Definitive Map is held by your local County Council and should be available via the council's website.
8. Nature of the problem and comments on the relevance of the problem eg "locked gate; totally prevents access to remainder of path and connections to bridleway X and UCCR Y". or "path impassible due to fallen tree at grid reference 123456". or "chain harrows placed across path prevent any use of the path beyond GR 123456. These harrows are rusty and have abundant vegetation growing between the links, indicating that they have been in this position for some time"
9. A sketch map of where the problem is, and how it affects use of the path, may be useful.
10, DON'T FORGET to sign it and date it!
11. DON'T get emotional when writing it - stick to the facts. eg if there is a pool of slurry, don't write "eeeww it is disgusting and it stinks", but state that you are concerned about environmental pollution, hygiene and disease transmission ...

12. If nothing has happened after a month, contact the PRoW Department again and inform them that if no action is taken, then you may have to consider making a "Section 63" request. Section 63 of the 2000 Countryside and Rights of Way Act is an extremely powerful tool, and starts a process which, if not acted on, will result in a magistrates order requiring the Local Authority to take action to get the obstruction removed.

This process requires a series of specific Magistrates Court Process forms to be used. Generally, once Form 1 is received by the Local Authority, then they will take action and the problem will be sorted. HOWEVER there are some "renegade" local authorities who will try to get cost awards against users. For the majority of local authorities this is a very slim to zero risk, but you MUST make absolutely sure of your facts before sending Form 1 and activating Section 63. The mere mention of a section 63 will often galvanise the more craven, or more cooperative, LA's into action.

Obstructions commonly dealt with under section 63 are some of the following:
missing sign or waymark/incorrectly-sited sign or waymark/misleading sign or waymark/dangerous surface/surface out o
 
muff747 said:
... If not make sure someone goes to the meetings, even if its just to listen and learn, that's what I did about twelve years ago and now the RoW department always contact me when there is anything going on that would affect horse riders ...
Click to expand...

I agree. We once had a case where the councillors were deciding whether to close a bridleway for planning. We got 30 riders in riding kit to attend the meeting from the beginning, and it was really obvious that the councillors noticed when they came into the room. Path saved contrary to officer recommendation. Visibility is so important!
 
That said, but you still sometimes get a council officer or planner that thinks they can rub out a route that has been used for donkeys years :p, without consulting anyone. I'm just in the middle of a battle to get a sign taken down which was put up by a power crazy horse hating officer (we've all met people like that ye?). His department had taken over recreation grounds and he was at the park, talking to one of the local residents of my rec ground when he saw three young girls having a canter up to the top of the hill and then making their way back to their yard next door. It is rarely full of people, you might get a dog walker or two on there at one time but it has been used by riders since some of the more mature riders around here were girls and it is not fenced off and it has always been allowed, now by default due to the time that has elapsed - is a right.
He is quoting the by-laws, but I have got hold of a copy of them and my interpretation, and checked out by Mark Weston at BHS HQ, says we can - because we always have.
I've got a petition signed by well over a hundred local riders and have now contacted the pricipal officer over that department and asked for a meeting with him. I will make sure we get as many riders and lead rein ponies to attend the meeting to show our strength of feelings about the sign and we will do whatever it takes to restore our right to ride there. These open spaces are very important places to ride, especially for young riders and those on lead reins because they can't always get to bridleways further afield because you have to negotiate busy main roads or because their parents won't let them go too far away.
When this battle is won, I'm going to campaign to get horses admitted to other recreation grounds. After all those open spaces are for rate payers to play sports, ride bicycles and other outdoor activities - horse riding comes into the same category so why not provide a track around the edge, like the London BC has done in Hyde Park?
If this happens in your area - make a noise and/or get a petition set up for others to sign, don't just give in, fight for every piece of safe off road paths ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top