A-FRAMES - UPDATE

At the meeting of the Rishton Area Council on 15th February it was agreed by the local councillors to install an A-frame at the entrance to the footpath between Shawbrook Close and St Albans Road in response to a rising number of complaints regarding horseriders’ behaviour.

Complaints have ranged from abusive language towards pedestrians on footpaths and riding across gardens on Shawbrook Close to horses being ridden across playing fields and causing considerable damage to football pitches. An incident earlier this year involved an unsupervised young rider being thrown from a horse and injured on Shawbrook Close, leaving the animal to bolt through a residential area causing damage to property along the way and posing a serious potential safety hazard to pedestrians. Fouling of narrow footpaths has also made several walkways virtually impassable to pedestrians which is causing resentment, in particular the path between Shawbrook Close and St Albans Road.

A second A-frame was provisionally agreed at the Rishton end of the White Path to Great Harwood by the corner of Spring Street playing fields pending further funding.

A newspaper article was printed in the Lancashire Telegraph on 10th May which prompted many complaints from the horse riding community. Further conversations have also taken place between the Rishton councillors and both riders and various liveries around the village which highlighted the many safety concerns of diverting riders onto main roads and the lack of dedicated bridleways. Some of the more productive comments to come out of this incident have highlighted that the existing bridleway parallel to the White Path still has its faults and we will now look into ways of improving conditions.

The installation of A-frames has now been suspended for 12 months pending a review of the situation although this is reliant on certain aspects of disrespectful riding by the minority being put in check by the riders themselves:

• suitable supervision for younger riders
• the complete cessation of any riding across playing fields and gardens
• courteous behaviour towards pedestrians and residents when using footpaths
• reasonable measures to prevent fouling on the Shawbrook Close footpath

Any further instances of damage or disruption which can be proven to be the fault of horse riders in the next 12 months will result in the likely installation of A-frames as originally proposed.

The Rishton councillors have no reservations in reappraising proposals which turn out to be contentious decisions and will always listen to reasonable comments on any topic. However, we are primarily here to ensure the wellbeing of the village and its residents and the original proposal for A-frames arose due to disrespectful behaviour from a minority of horse riders.

We would hope that by pointing out some of the issues that have been raised by both residents and riders that mutually respectful behaviour will prevent further council intervention.