REGISTER OF RIDERS IN WEST BERKS

An email register of local riders who are interested in equestrian rights of way & access is being put together – about 25 riders have signed up so far (August 2003).

The purpose is to justify repairs to damaged tracks, press for improvements for riders, find alternatives to riding on increasingly busy roads, keep riders informed about what is going on in their patch and beyond etc and generally find out what access problems riders want solved.

It is impossible to push for improvements without giving evidence to the authorities about how many riders are out there and what they need to stay safe. Alternatively, on a more positive note, riders might like to let others know of a particularly nice ride with adequate horsebox parking.

So, if you get out and about on your horse, even if it is only for a change of scene from the dressage or show jumping arena, and you are interested in seeing improvements, please register, saying what area/parish, you ride out from to:

Janice Bridger, email:Tel 01635 200507 (eves/weekends) or
Briony Grose email: Tel: 01488 638 236 (after 8pm)

Examples of needing to know how many riders are in an area & needing to get in contact have been:

1. West Berkshire Rights of Way condition survey.
   Last summer West Berks Council conducted a survey of all the rights of way in West Berks. This was done by volunteers – ramblers, cyclists, motor-bikers and 4 x4 drivers and a few horse-riders. We lost out here because these users do not necessarily see things from a horse-riders perspective. So, if that bridleway gets modified for cycle use, we may only have ourselves to blame for not being more active!
2. Highways Agency Vulnerable Road User Crossings Survey.
   Horse-riders are at last classified as vulnerable road users! I think the British Horse Society had to press long and hard for this. The Highways Agency seems to have woken up to the fact that trunk roads have adversely affected many rights of way. In West Berkshire, they have been asking for information about rights of way affected by the M4 and the A34. This needed local horsey knowledge. Penny Reid (the Berkshire BHS County & Access Bridleway Officer) and I have commented on what we know about but we just did not have the local knowledge for most of the crossings. For example, we are asked questions like ‘ How many horses actually use or want to use a particular crossing? Answer: ‘Don’t know’. Result : no improvement can be justified for horse-riders!
3. Rights of Way Improvement Plans.
   Following on from the recent CROW act, local authorities will be formulating these plans. West Berkshire Council wants input from local user groups. We must get the needs of horse-riders on the list. None of the staff in West Berks Council Rights of Way dept rides!
   Imaginative ideas are required. For example,
   
   • Are there links you would like between bridleways & byways which are now linked by busy roads which you are not happy to ride?
   
   The Ramblers already have their ‘wish-list’ organized. We horse-riders need to get in there.
4. Bridleway crossing of the railway line at Thatcham.

This is a current example of the sort of help that West Berks needs from us in that it is proposed to close this bridleway due to housing development. Do any horse-riders use this crossing? Would a link between the Chamberhouse Farm and Highfield Farm bridleways be of more use? How close to the railway line would you ride a horse?