NOTES FROM MEETING THURS 8th JULY 2004

of RIDERS INTERESTED IN IMPROVING ACCESS IN WEST BERKS

at the Warren, Curridge.
Present: (12)
Caroline Booth (Leckhampstead)
Janice Bridger (Curridge/Chieveley)
Candy Clarkson (Bradfield/Theale),
Jill Coates (Crowthorne)
Hillary Davis (Upper Bucklebury)
Gill Hall (Cold Ash/Bucklebury)
Amanda May (Ashmore Green/Cold Ash etc)
Ted May (Ashmore Green)
Briony Grose (West/East Ilsley),
Sonia Mccabe (Beedon)
Penny Reid - Berkshire BHS chairman & Access
John Winkley (Wokingham) - Local Access Forum representative
Apologies:
Jane Ashbridge (Compton),
Liz Bedingham (Inkpen),
Lesley Chandler (Farnborough)
Carolyn Gardiner (Lilley)

1. New introductions

· Caroline Booth from Penclose Farm, Leckhampstead. Works in the West Berks Council Parks dept & has worked in Rights of Way.
· Jill Coates, Berkshire BHS committee member & access
· Hillary Davis, Upper Bucklebury, BHS Berkshire committee member.
· John Winkley, LAF representative for horse-riders

2. There were no points from 20th May meeting (not on agenda)

3. Publicity:

· Ted had spoken to his farrier, Tim Pirouret, who had offered to distribute a leaflet about the group, if required
· There were, at present, 37 riders on the email circulation list with 38of the 61 West Berks parishes represented. Some riders are expressing interest but are unable to come to the meetings.

4. Letters to & responses from West Berks Council Highways Dept about recognition of leisure horses in the new Local Transport Plan

· There had been a good response from the group to the request to send letters to WBC Highways dept. Janice knew of 8 letters/emails having been sent as requested at the last meeting (from Jane Ashbridge, Janice Bridger, Candy Clarkson, Briony Grose, Gill Hall, Jo Percy, Tina Silver, Helen Taylor) of which Janice had copies of 6 which could be used in the future.
· Further letters would still be useful to keep up the pressure, Sonia had agreed to write.
· Janice knew of 2 replies from West Berks Highways - to Jane Ashbridge and Candy Clarkson.
· Points included by West Berks Highways in the replies:

1. WBC will be considering the Quiet Lanes initiative

2. WBC works very closely with the racehorse industry in Lambourn

3. Some funding from the LTP is currently going into bridleway improvements (This agrees with John's balance sheet in his documentation & may be being used for the bridges on Bucklebury bridleway 10c)

4. Consultation is being made at an informal grass-roots level with the British Horse Society before the official consultation - that's us!!!

5. Candy's reply from Mark Edwards, Head of Highways, dated 17 June was supposedly copied to a long list of people including Penny, John Winkley, David Rendel MP, Martin Salter MP & Janice, but Janice had not received a copy from Mark Edwards to date. Had anyone else?

5. Progress with current projects

· Hilliers, Priors Court Rd, Hermitage, planning application for 5 houses: Mike Butler the West Berks planning officer is recommending approval subject to a list of conditions, one of which is to provide a bridleway to link Crabtree Lane & Doctors lane to avoid Priors Court Rd. This is welcome news as it demonstrates that the planning department is beginning to accept the need to provide for vulnerable users, including horse riders.
· Cementation site, Hermitage 165 new houses: Ted has proposed that a bridleway link should be created between Manor Lane at Oare and Chapel Lane, Hermitage. This would enable a Hermitage Community Circuit to be developed, avoiding the B4009 and linking into the woods south of Hermitage, and would link into the Chieveley Community Circuit (which passes through Curridge/Snelsmore/North Heath/Beedon Common) and would provide a multi user route around Hermitage. Ted had written to Bryant Homes and Michael Butler, West Berks planning officer, who had put the request in the file. Those interested in a track here should look out for the next step in the planning process.
· Chicanes on the Hermitage Rd in Cold Ash: these are to be modified by removing one island at each chicane. It was unclear how this would affect horse-riders using this road.
· Upgrade of Cold Ash footpath18/24/89 to bridleway status: a way to get this upgraded was by agreement of the landowner. Gill had not, so far, been able to find out who that is. The Land Registry does not have to give this information. Would estate agents be any use? How about contacting Eling estates as they are a neighbour?
· Defra schemes: Ted had been in contact with Harold Makant at Defra in Reading. Payment to farmers for access is to be improved under the revised Countryside Stewardship schemes. Contact Ted for further information Tedmay@btconnect.com and see Defra website for current examples. These schemes can be useful, for example, to avoid small sections of busy road.

9. The Mid & West Berks Local Access Forum by John Winkley, the horse-riders' representative

· John distributed copies of a 36 page document which he had compiled for the meeting. He discussed points from the document which covered his riding and rights of way experience, a brief introduction to definitive maps & rights of way, current Defra walks & rides (there were no rides in Berkshire), the members of the LAF & relevant sections of the three LAF meetings so far.
· It was noted that ROWIPs were just one aspect to be covered by the LAF with improvements to be for many types of users, thus emphasing the need for horse-riders to ensure their needs were represented.
· John left copies of the 1991 Definitive map for most areas of West Berkshire (which would be useful to obtain track numbers), a copy of the CPRE's guide to Quiet Lanes (also available on their website), and a copy of a presentation on Quiet Lanes by Helen Phillips Chairman of CPRE Windsor & Maidenhead (available from Janice).
· John was attending the Windsor & Maidenhead LAF as an observer. There seemed to be conflicting views about the need for riding improvements in this area.
· The Rights of Way dept for Wokingham District, which was John's own patch, was in a state of flux.
· John stated that he needed help from the group to represent the needs of West Berkshire riders at LAF meetings.
· Several of those present thanked John for the work involved in preparing his presentation and expenses were offered but John declined.
· John offered to come to future meetings if his presence was thought to be useful.

10. West Berkshire equestrian ROWIP

· Input from Briony & Janice had been made into the current written master draft which had been circulated to all on the email circulation list along with the fuller document from Briony. Comments about the format awaited from the group.
· Tracey Martin (Lambourn) & Helen Taylor (West Woodhay) were composing input
Action: Tracey / Helen
· Keith Tomey (Snelsmore Common Ranger) had suggested 2 upgrades of footpaths to bridleways in the Snelsmore Common area - Janice to incorporate these.
Action: Janice
· Candy to explore how the riding network in the Bradfield/Theale/Tidmarsh area can be improved. Action: Candy
· Others to let Janice have their ideas stating the problem, the solution and the justification. Action: everyone
· Submission of maps and photographs to be encouraged
· Amanda suggested the use of colour coding on maps with one colour being used for one type of solution/problem.
o For example: safety issues - red; riding on verges - blue; circular/linear routes - green. Should problems or solutions be coloured? Solutions?. A list of solutions to be drawn up.
o This will need provision of maps for the individual improvements & maps of a larger scale to mark routes with colour photocopying/colouring of copies by hand. Circular/linear routes could be marked on a map of West Berkshire of suitable scale. Individuals to provide coloured maps of the individual improvements.
· Lambourn Valley Way: this walking route could provide safe riding to link bridleways, thus avoiding the dangerous B4000. It was thought that upgrade of the LV way, or parts of it, should be a major project and be incorporated into the ROWIP. Penny commented that it had not been possible to make this a bridleway when the route was initially devised several years ago. Keith Toomey had already proposed footpath to bridleway upgrade on a section near Donnington Castle and owned by the council.

8. Other points raised

Defra Sounding Board meeting on the Horse Industry 16th June.
· No-one from the group had attended. John & Janice has sent in individual responses on access issues (John's is in his information pack). Copies were circulated on the key objectives and proposed actions from the Access and off-road riding - see Defra website rural affairs/horses/sounding board. These were encouraging and contained many of the points being raised at local level by a range of riding organizations: community circuits/road safety/work with farmers. This will be useful to press for improvements at local level - see last paragraph.
· Hants & West Sussex Borders Bridleways Association summer newsletter (sue.montilla@ntlworld.co.uk) listed the points they made to Defra: landowners to receive payment for access; fast track method for footpath to bridleway upgrades; safe access in exchange for planning permission; reduction of speed limit, weight restrictions, white lines on minor roads; cost of keeping a hacking horse = £2500 pa. 400 horses = £1million into local economy.
· Report to be produced, another meeting? & open for consultation.

Letter to BHS headquarters from Penny.

Penny deposited a letter to the PA to Graham Cory, the new BHS chief executive, and Noel Edmonds, the new President, describing the lack of riding schools in West Berkshire, her role in Berkshire Access since the 1980's and a request that Noel Edmonds might like to join her in a ride over the new A34/M4 bridleway bridges when the bridges are opened.

· Penny was willing to write a formal letter from the BHS, as County Access officer & chairman, to support any letters from individuals.
· Caroline Booth, who works in West Berks Parks dept, had access to the current Definitive map & was willing to check any points.
Next meeting - date and purpose to be decided: perhaps to discuss details of individual's specific proposals? Janice to organize Action:Janice
Meeting closed at about 10.30pm