Speed plea over ‘rat run’ Horsham road

A road safety campaigner has urged drivers to slow down on Horsham’s Kerves Lane.
JPCT 091214 S14500692x Horsham, Kerves Lane. Wendy Reynolds who launched riding and road safety campaign -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-140912-151021001JPCT 091214 S14500692x Horsham, Kerves Lane. Wendy Reynolds who launched riding and road safety campaign -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-140912-151021001
JPCT 091214 S14500692x Horsham, Kerves Lane. Wendy Reynolds who launched riding and road safety campaign -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-140912-151021001

For decades, Wendy Reynolds has been working to raise awareness of the safety of horse riders using public roads.

Wendy, 66, lives in Hurstpierpoint but is from Horsham, and owns land on Kerves Lane, which she described as a ‘rat run’.

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She said: “The speed needs to be changed dramatically. It is a rat run from Southwater to Horsham and the speed is far too much.

“There are a lot of potholes. Cyclists and horse riders have to go around them and if a car is coming fast it doesn’t give them a lot of leeway.

“I just want to ask everybody who uses the road to be more considerate, patient and understanding with each other.”

Her plea follows the death of a 65 year old Horsham man who lost his life after a collision between a car and his bicycle on the road on Monday December 8.

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Wendy launched a memorial campaign in 1987 when teenage rider Kate Powell and horse Tarquin died in a road accident.

She explained that she was a member of the same riding club as Kate, and knew Tarquin’s owner.

Ever since, she has been encouraging riders to wear high visibility clothing when on the roads, and she said she is considering spreading her message on behalf of cyclists too.

She said: “Very sadly somebody has lost their life, and there have been hundreds of near misses, even with horses.

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“It ought to be flagged up that there has been a fatality and several near misses, and maybe then drivers will be a little more careful.

“I have been involved in riding and road safety since the 1980s, but I think I need to incorporate everybody who uses the road.”

She added that she has asked West Sussex County Council to reduce the speed limit to 30mph for the entire length of the road.