Horse riders fail to secure right of way across A303

HORSE riders have failed to secure a right of way across the A303 in Somerset.

The South Somerset Bridleway Association applied to get a contested bridleway across the dual carriageway at Sparkford added to the definitive rights of way map for the county, which lists all public footpaths and bridleways which can be used.

The campaign group said this would allow Highways England to put in a new footbridge for horses and pedestrians when the A303 near Sparkford is dualled in the coming years.

But Somerset County Council’s regulation committee threw out the plans yesterday morning, arguing there was no evidence of the bridleway being in use.

Highways England was granted permission in late-January for a £250 million scheme which will see the A303 between the Sparkford and Podimore roundabouts turned into a dual carriageway. As part of the scheme the Sparkford roundabout will be enhanced, with a new underpass being created to allow pedestrians, cyclists and horses to cross safely.

Sarah Bucks, from the South Somerset Bridleway Association, said that including the route on the council’s definitive map would ensure Highways England would be legally bound to provide an alternative route over the

A303.

She said: “We believe there is going to be a footbridge to the east which will connect two of the footpaths. We have put the application in to alert Highways England that there is a right of way there and they need to mitigate it. This way we don’t have to go through the underpass on the roundabout.

“It is silly to expect horses to gallop across the A303, but this way Highways England will have to mitigate for it and can give us a route.”

Cllr Mike Lewis, whose Castle Cary division includes Sparkford, said that adding the route to the council’s map would create big legal problems both during and after the dualling work.

He said: “Ms Bucks’ reasoning for putting this forward was not to establish a use by horses and pedestrians, but to persuade others that there should be a bridge that will enable pedestrians and horses to cross the A303.

“There are real issues with using this particular access because there is no user evidence of a bridleway. Yes, it may have been established in 1874, but it was largely unused until the Second World War, when Hazlegrove House was a hospital.

“It’s inappropriate for us to put this on the definitive map.”

The committee voted unanimously not to recognise the bridleway.