A CAMPAIGN to boost horse riders’ safety due to rising collision rates with cars on Barnsley’s country lanes has resulted in a raft of new routes being proposed across the borough.
New public rights of way have been put forward by Barnsley Council’s ruling cabinet members who are set to sign off on the scheme on Wednesday.
Canal Street; Smithies Lane to Bar Lane; Bar Lane to Lee Lane; disused railway lines at Athersley North to Crookes Lane; Fitzwilliam Street to Watt Road in Elsecar; Stottercliffe Road to the Trans Pennine Trail at Penistone; Shaw Lane at Carlton Marsh and Warbler Way in Wombwell are all included.
A report, compiled by Sarah Ford, the council’s principal public rights of way officer, said: “If the proposals are accepted, these will be upgraded to public bridleway status, with access rights for horse riders, pedestrians and cyclists.
“Other sections currently have no status and will be formally dedicated as new public bridleways.
“Some additional link footpaths will also be formally dedicated to record greater connectivity.
“Other routes in the borough have been set out and are used by the public without a formal status all of these routes should have a formal, protected PROW status to guarantee the appropriate public right of access over them in future.
“Several routes have been identified on council-owned land which do not currently have the recorded PROW status that is desired or which in some cases have already likely been established in law.
“Some of the routes have no formal status at present and others are recorded as footpaths but should be upgraded to bridleways.
“This report seeks authority for the council to formally dedicate those public rights which are considered to be appropriate for each path.
“The newly-formalised public rights will be protected, with management and maintenance of the routes coming under the responsibility of the PROW team.”
The move has been praised by Julie Fields, who embarked on a campaign to open up more areas for riders having found out more than 30 accidents involving horses had occurred on lanes around Shafton, Felkirk, Royston and Grimethorpe and over the Wakefield border into Havercroft and Ryhill in just five years.
She told the Chronicle: “Local horse owners have been working alongside the council and police recently as something had to be done to increase safety.
“Finding suitable PROWs has been a long process but I’m thrilled these routes will be approved.
“They’ve been needed for a long time and they will allow more riders to get out, while also feeling safer, which has been a massive issue.
“It shows that by working with the council and police and subsequently collaborating with them to support them in any future improvements that can be made will hopefully help make our roads safer for horses and riders in the future.
“I was shocked when I discovered just how many incidents have occurred, yet we’re aware some haven’t even been logged, such as the horse fatality on Frickley Bridge Lane in Brierley.”
