LETTER: Riders forced to use the roads

We all would love to be able to ride on bridleways and fields without going on any roads. Unfortunately where I keep my horse I have to use a national speed limit single lane road to access four bridleways.

I encounter large farm vehicles, lorries, vans and cars, many who are very polite and considerate, a few are rude abusive and try to push me off the road.

If we go back before cars were invented roads weren’t needed and most people used horse transport. Majority of bridleways are crossed or accessed by roads and fields are privately owned with road access. The BHS is trying to help riders by informing motorists that horses are animals, they can be scared by any manner of things that a motorist can’t see or hear.

Too many horses and riders have been injured and killed by impatient motorists. In winter our local bridleways are unusable due to flooding and deep Sussex mud so again we are forced to use roads.

Is Mr Wharton and others like minded only targeting horse riders or should pedestrians and cyclists be excluded from using roads?

I think our cycling fraternity would have something to add if this is the case.

ANITA COLLIETY

Newbridge, Billingshurst

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