Questions over why riders are missing from government plan
A scheme targeting drivers who pass cyclists closely does not apply to riders — but other projects are on the cards
QUESTIONS have been raised as to why a government scheme to combat drivers who pass cyclists dangerously close does not include other vulnerable road users such as riders.
Department for Transport (DfT) parliamentary undersecretary Jesse Norman said £500,000 will be made available for driving instructor training on teaching safe passing of cyclists.
The UK-wide scheme also involves funding for police to catch and punish those driving dangerously past bikes.
But the plan, revealed on 29 June, omitted other vulnerable road users such as riders.
“I don’t understand how the government can bring this in for cyclists and not for other road users,” said equestrian road safety campaigner Debbie Smith, of lobby group Pass Wide and Slow.
H&H asked transport minister Jesse Norman if the initiatives could be applied to encourage safe passing of riders in future.
While Mr Norman did not respond, a DfT spokesman replied, saying: “We have some of the safest roads in the world and are determined to do everything
we can to make them even safer for everyone.
“We know horse riders are vulnerable on the road, and would remind motorists and other road users to take great care when passing them as, despite the efforts of riders, [horses] can be unpredictable.”
The spokesman added that some police forces, including
‘How can this be for cyclists and
not riders?’
DEBBIE SMITH
the Surrey and the Avon and Somerset forces, are using the same messaging on passing cyclists safely for horse riders, or running specific campaigns aimed to educate road users on how to behave around riders.
He also said the government scheme stems from its cycling and walking investment strategy call for evidence, which is why it was specifically aimed at cyclists.
SEPARATE SCHEMES
THE British Horse Society (BHS) and several other police forces are running their own separate “closepass” initiatives to protect riders and educate drivers.
Plain-clothes police riders are cracking down on drivers who pass too close to horses.
“This year we have been working with a number of police close-pass operations as well as our own ‘Operation Dead Slow’ with mounted police forces across the country,” BHS director of safety Alan Hiscox told H&H.
“This involves mounted police in plain clothes on the roads to help identify those drivers who are passing horses too close or too fast.
“We can then help educate these drivers on how to pass horses safely on the roads.
Like cyclists, horse riders are vulnerable road users and any initiative that helps educate drivers should be encouraged.
“It will be very interesting to see if [the government’s] new initiative improves safety for cyclists on the roads, and if the government extends this to other vulnerable road users.”
The BHS partnered with Gloucestershire Constabulary’s mounted section in a joint operation on 27 June.
A total of 10 drivers were stopped in two hours for passing riders too fast or too close. They were spoken to by traffic officers on the safest way to pass horses.
Statistics from the BHS horse accidents website show one in five reported incidents involved a vehicle colliding with a horse and 84% were as a result of vehicles passing too fast or too close.
“We will be repeating this operation at other locations in the county to make sure that we can spread the message and help improve the safety for all on our roads,” said PC Tracy Warburton, who was involved in the operation.
Chief constable Rod
Hansen, of Gloucester
Police mounted section and national lead for mounted policing, added that the force
“fully supports” the BHS’s campaign to educate drivers.
“We are pleased to have been involved in this operation and welcome the opportunity to help improve the safety of riders, horses and motorists in the county,” he added.