How does this sound?~ Letter to council

[Lydia00]

Just to let you know what happened today. I was out on a hack and went on a Bridlepath link of which there is a gate at the end (non horse friendly may i add!) I struggled to open the gate but managed and as it wasnt horsefriendly, it is impossible to close as it out of reach (and its was of those stiff pull out ones!) So i just pulled the gate to and went around the estate. I was about 15-20mins when i arrived back to the same gate. I found that someone had put two plastic ties around the gate to stop me from opening it and i didnt have anyway of getting home other than this gate! I had no knife to cut through and began to wonder why a member of the public would do this when they no that the only other option is busy main roads for miles!! But maybe they would if they were so annoyed at me not shutting the gate properly! So i have written this to the council JUST to let them know, so that if it happens again they could put up a notice or something i dont know. But if this person DID do it because i didnt shut it properly, then it is the councils job to put in proper horseriding agtes anyway! So here it is -

I am a horse owner and i often use a Bridleway link on Royle Road Burnley that takes you to an estate. At the end of the Bridlepath there is a gate (which isn't a correct horse friendly gate) but on opening it today, i went for a ride around the estate. On returning the said gate to go home, someone had locked it with two plastic ties. I had no way of getting home apart from going through this gate and it is clear to the public that this gate is for horseriders only and is intended for use. My suspicions are that someone in a neihbouring house had done it whilst i was out riding. I had to ask for help, to get it open by cutting the two plastic locks. I have no reason to believe that it was an act of the council as they would have used a proper lock. My writing to you is because i wouldnt wish for this to happen again, because next time they may use a more severe locking device so i definatly wouldnt be able to get home. It has made me worried of using that Bridleway again (the only one for miles) incase they do the same again. I trust that if it does happen again, action will be taken as i wouldnt want the only Bridleway us horseriders have, to be out of use. Thankyou ?

Does it sound alryt? And what should i put at the end?

[Lydia00]

Please tell me what you think, im going to be sending it tonight. Thankyou

[carol]

If the gate is on a bridleway, it is ILLEGAL to lock it in any way shape or form. Poor you, it must have been horrible to not be able to get through to go home. In fact if the gate is broken or not working in any way (i.e. not horse friendly, as that one sounds) it's up to the landowner to repair or replace it. If he or she refuses, they can be forced to by the council......sometimes the council will do the repairs and send the bill to the landowner.

On the other hand, a bridleway is a public right of way, so in fact should be open to walkers as well. Is there a stile by the gate?It sounds a bit freaky to me that someone would be walking the path at the same time as you were riding with a couple of 'handy' plastic ties in their pocket. I'd be inclined to think that somebody local has a bit of a vendetta against horse-riders.

Your letter. Could you enclose a photocopy map of the area showing the bridleway? If your local council are not particularly horse-orientated they might not be too aware of where it is!!
And a photo of the gate? You could make a copy of the letter and send one to your nearest local bridleways or Rights of Way officer, even if they are not in your area they might interested in taking it up.

Finally, please try to get other riders to send a letter or two, it's outrageous that the only bridleway you or anyone else can ride on gets blocked.

[sooleo]

Maybe point out the dangers of a younger rider or someone on a novice horse finding this situation and being forced onto busy and dangerous roads.

[Lydia00]

Thankyou for your reply carol. You've mentioned some good ideas about maps and photo. Just before the gate there is a river ford specially for us to use and our horsey bit is fenced off so that people cant go near the river and have to use the bridge (it then joins back to the same path). But i did notice that as i was struggling with the gate, there was a man nearby watching me very closely, but even if that doesnt have anything to do with it, plenty of people can see me coming through and right opposite the gate is the start of the estate with a row of houses so it could have been anyone! URGHH. What makes me so mad though is like ive said, this end part of the Bridleway is totally off limits to foot-walkers because of our river ford and this gate is off no use to them and has nothing to do with them! Its a shame really to have to worry about whether your going to get trapped on a hack! Its a good job a woman stopped nearby because i wouldnt have exactly been able to walk up peoples drives with a horse in my hand! lol Thankyou for your advice, i hope something gets done!

[Lydia00]

Crossed post sorry. Thankyou Sooleo you make a good point!

[carol]

Cheers Lydia. My best advice to you is get cross, go on, get really really angry. Fire letters off left right and centre. You have a right to ride on that bridleway any old time you like, without obstacles or difficulty. Make a fuss, contact the local paper, get other riders involved.......


BTW, where does the the word 'road' come from? It comes from 'rode'.

Makes you think, does'nt it?

[Lydia00]

hmm good point Carol! Definatly going to make my feelings clear on this one, though i doubt very much it will be easy with my council! It was only last week there was an article in the local paper about how our counciler knows absoloutely nothing about equestrain statistics in our town! It went into quite alot of detail too! Also it said that we dont even have a rights of way officer!

[Lydia00]

p.s - no wonder we only have ONE bridleway in Burnley!

[carol]

www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/countryside/prow/index.asp

try this link.

[Lydia00]

Great! Thanks for that Carol, ive just managed to get a picture of where it is!

[BeTheBest]

Good luck, i hope they take notice. That must of been really annoying for you. Maybe send a copy to your local paper too.