Horse riders and mountain bikers using the same trails?

A petition is being circulated to allow horse riders access to bridleways.

As part of The Trust’s continuing campaign for equestrian access to all cycle paths in the Country  a Government Petition has been drawn up asking for legislation to ensure all non-motorised users are treated equally.

The Department of Transport’s view that equestrians should have access to cycle paths ‘wherever possible’ provides a let-out for all those Councils who continue to discriminate against what could be seen as a minority user group.

How this will effect mountain bikers shoudl be part of the debate.

David Cameron is on record as saying he believes any petition that has 100,000 signatures should be debated by Parliament. So the petition's organisers are aiming for that – 100,000 by September 11th irrespective of who wins the election.

Cosi Towneley of The Trails Trust www.thetrailstrust.org.uk said: "There are millions of horse riders, cyclists and walkers who use the nation’s network of bridleways, and we hope everyone will present a united front on this important safety issue. Please also contact your MP and any Ministers you can think of – put ‘Who is my MP ?’ on Google, etc. and you can find their email address by typing in your own postcode."

The text of the petition is as follows: We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Legislate to end discrimination on cycle paths Since 1968 all bridleways, irrespective of width, sightlines, surface, urban or rural, have been legally shared by walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Yet legislation ensures access only to walkers and cyclists on cycle paths. Bridleways are used as part of the Safe Routes to School network, yet horse riders, over 85% of whom are women and children, are forced onto dangerous roads instead of sharing safe, off road cycle paths. There are well over 29 accidents between horse riders and vehicles per day, 10,658 per year, many of which result in death or serious injury. There is no justification at all for discriminating against this vulnerable user group. Please put right the wrongs of the last 40 years and save lives.

The petition is here