Riders urged to take action over safe off-road hacking
A petition is calling on the government to allow riders access to more routes
ROAD safety campaigners have urged riders to sign a new online petition calling for the Department for Transport to allow horses to use governmentfunded off-road tracks such as cycle ways.
The petition, set up by Debbie Smith of the “Pass wide and slow” Facebook group, who has been campaigning for improved rider road safety for years, has received more than 13,000 signatures since it was created on 15 November.
Debbie told H&H: “In the eyes of the law, we are vulnerable users just like cyclists and walkers, but when you see the transport minister talking about funding its always cyclists and walkers mentioned.
“There are a lot of cycle tracks but we’re not allowed to use them. It’s about safety and getting us off the road and giving us funding for tracks and more road signs.”
Ms Smith said following the parliament debate on including horses in a review of the Highway Code on 5 November (news, 8 November) it is encouraging more riders to talk to their MPs and share their response letters.
“The last debate was very
good and a lot of MPs spoke up for us. It’s a good start and it goes to show by campaigning and emailing MPs the word is getting out there,” said Ms Smith. “We just have to keeping pushing until the transport minister will include equestrians with cyclists.”
THE RIGHT DIRECTION
“I HOPE we’re moving in the right direction,” Ms Smith added. “There’s a lot more awareness now and lots of groups campaigning for riders. If people are passionate about it, they want to be safe and they want to be heard, they’ve got to sign and share. The plan is to get to 100,000 signatures and then we will ask local MPs to take it to parliament.”
Claire Lilly, who helped form the Canewdons Equestrian Facebook group, which has been campaigning for lower speed limits in Essex since a horse died in a road accident on 17 November 2016, said a lot of work is still to be done.
Ms Lilly told H&H: “Rider and horse safety on the roads has been spoken about in parliament in previous years, but it’s not enough. A good solution would be to allow dual access on footpaths that can be used by riders.
“I think it’s all about communication. MPs are bogged down with issues like Brexit and horses might not seem quite as important. The Facebook pages set up, the petitions, the videos all raise awareness — it needs to be kept in the media’s eyes.
“We need to shout a bit louder but not in an aggressive way. Horses are being killed on the roads and people need to listen. I don’t think some drivers really grasp the concept of what a rider goes through losing a horse on the road.
“For every person who shares a post with another member of their family who might not be horsey, whether it’s a petition or a picture or newspaper article about a horse killed, it’s constantly keeping us in the spotlight and I think that’s essential. Social media has created a great platform to highlight the various issues that people wouldn’t necessarily be aware of.
“I strongly encourage people not to become despondent, we have to keep chipping away and keep signing the petition, sharing posts and knocking on doors until we’re heard.”
British Horse Society safety director Alan Hiscox told H&H: “We believe by working in partnership with other vulnerable road users such as Cycling UK, we can ensure that all vulnerable road users are heard. We lobby on behalf of equestrians so that we are not the forgotten road user.
“Our role is to help educate drivers on how to pass horses safely, as many riders don’t want to be on the road but they have to, to get to their nearest bridleway. By working in partnership with government and other vulnerable road users, along with educating drivers, we can make a difference.”
‘We have to keep chipping away until we are
heard’