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BHS Berkshire - Access & Bridleways
East Berks Access Newsletter June 08 (Feb 08)
Do you Ride in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead? Consultations are currently taking place with Windsor and Maidenhead’s Rights of Way Department, through their Parish Paths Initiative. Under this scheme, riders are encouraged to put forward ideas and suggestions as to how we would like the Council to spend the equestrian portion of the Rights of Way budget this year. The Borough is keen to help riders gain more access to safe and enjoyable routes. At present, only 22% of public rights of way in the area are open to horses, a total of 67 kilometres, comprising bridleways, byways and restricted byways. Below, I quote from the current Windsor and Maidenhead Public Rights of Way Annual Statement, p. 8:
‘Equestrians - Four main areas for improvement to the safety and promotion of bridleways, byways and restricted byways are being targeted as follows:
More information on proposals regarding individual paths can be found at: www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/prow_index.htm
If members have any suggestions as to how the Borough should spend their designated equestrian access funds in the coming year, now is the time to come forward. For example, is there a footpath that you would love to ride on, linking up to other riding tracks, which could be upgraded to a bridleway? Or do you know of a private track that would take equestrians off a busy stretch of road if the landowner were agreeable? Is there a track which needs resurfacing?
If you have any ideas, please e-mail me, preferably before 20th June: jillcoates@btinternet.com or telephone: 01344 752385. Jill Coates, Berkshire County Access and Bridleways Officer
Access & Rights of Way in West Berkshire (Feb 08)
Problems reported by West Berks riders in the last few months have been a landowner’s dogs making it unpleasant/dangerous to use a right of way (the police are involved), tarmacing of a bridleway (the Council is pursuing this), and the apparent illegal diversion of a bridleway onto a dubious route (the Council & local riders are watching).
West Berks Council has consulted the BHS a number of times in the last 6 months to get our opinion of how proposed changes affect horse use of rights of way. In addition, we have responded to planning applications that affect equestrian rights of way, with some positive outcomes. So don’t sit back and think it is no good doing anything! Anyone who wants to be added to the West Berks Riders’ email list should email me. The list is used to seek information from riders to help the council & also to inform riders about how to help themselves when their riding routes are threatened & what going on in West Berks & generally.
Anyone who wants to report a path problem to the Council and get it on the repair/maintenance list should telephone 01635 519611, or visit www.westberks.gov.uk, click on ‘Report a fault’ on the right hand column, then ‘public right of way’ under fault type. For Fly tipping and abandoned vehicles contact Streetcare 01635 519080 or use the above web address. The Council needs to feedback on which rights of way need maintenance, so do use the above contacts to get your routes in good condition.
The draft of the West Berkshire Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) is still awaited but the Wokingham District plan was out for consultation before Christmas with an impressive 6 page list of suggestions for new routes, in part due to ideas sent in by local riders following the consultation meeting way back in Dec 2005. The next step will be how to get some of these implemented on the ground. With no money allocated by central government to implement ROWIPs, that will be interesting!
Geoff Findlay, the West Berks councillor responsible for rights of way, was unable to speak, as planned, to the Mid & West Berks Local Access Forum meeting in January about the Council’s policy on rights of way and access through pressure of other work.
The Quiet lanes scheme pilot in Bucklebury is up & running. Let me know what you think if you ride there. Should we have more of these in West Berkshire so that we riders can use minor roads more safely?
e-mail: Janice.Bridger@btopenworld.com or Tel. 01635 200507
Access - Beating the Bounds of Berkshire (Feb 08)
Berkshire horse riders are invited to join a project being undertaken by the Pangbourne Rotary Club between Saturday 6 September – Sunday 14 September 2008.
From very early times it was customary for land owners to show the next generation the boundaries of their estate by processing around the boundary once a year. This is being revived to raise money for Age Concern. The Project will start at Windsor Great Park where a baton will be handed over, and carried around the County boundary by as many different organizations as possible, walkers, runners, cyclists, horseriders and canoeists at different parts of the route.
Horse-riders are required to carry the baton in 3 to 12 miles stretches (to suit) from Coombe, on the North Hampshire Downs south of Newbury, to Lambourn, then along the Ridgeway to Streatley on Tue 9 Sept and Wed 10 Sept. Baton carriers will be given full back-up and support, with a command vehicle in close touch with the baton group at all stages. There will be extensive publicity in the press.
This is a fund-raising event so there will be a £10 entry fee but for that you will receive a ‘pack’, which will include your ‘Beating the Bounds’ T-shirt. Participants will be encouraged to raise their own charitable sponsorship and donate a percentage of this to Age Concern (Berkshire) with the remainder going to a charity of their own choice.
To be part of this project, or to get further details, please contact Clive Williams (Chairman) – 01491-671631; Clive@clivewilliams.orangehome.co.uk
It would be good to have horse riding represented!
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