Cycle Paths Petition

One of our members was passed a copy of the attached email. Whatever your views of the sentiments expressed, it provides a link to a petition on the "Number 10" website which we think you may find of interest.

Dear Harriet Harman,

I have been campaigning for over 10 years now for equal access to cycle paths for all non-motorised users. Not on the face of it a big deal so perhaps difficult to understand why anyone should have to campaign for this.

I have become convinced that this issue is almost entirely sexist and although I am not the only one to recognise it, those of us who understand what the real problem is are all women, and therefore if we use the word sexism as the driver for this discrimination we know we will be automatically labelled as neurotic or paranoid which damages our credibility. However, the Equality Bill at last raises the prospect of this discrimination being ended for ever, which is why I am writing to you.

Over 85 % of horse riders are women and children. The largest and increasing proportion of them are between 30 and 70 years old, often work part time, and have substituted their independent children with a much wanted horse or pony which allows them to access the countryside, often through urban areas. Many suffer from arthritis of the hip or back problems often due to childbirth and although they can't walk far, can ride long distances once mounted. It is a fallacy that horse riders are the wealthy. The vast majority are hard up and take no holidays in order that they can afford to keep an aged and much loved horse.

Some Facts:

• Since 1968 all bridleways, irrespective of width, sightlines, surface, urban or rural, have been legally used by "non-motorised users" walkers, cyclists, horse riders and the disabled, including Riding for the Disabled.

• Bridleways are used as part of the "Safe Routes to School" network throughout the country.

• Horse riders represent only 1% - 2% of users of any cycle path, only slightly more than wheelchair users (Sustrans Research).There are over 10 (recorded) serious and often fatal accidents per day between horse riders and motorised vehicles.

• Bridleways, which are Statutory Right of Way, now come under the aegis of the Transport Department.

• The majority of Department of Transport officers are men

• The majority of Council transport department officers are men

• The majority of cyclists are men.

• The majority of Councils, advised by their transport department officers, automatically exclude horse riders from the national network of cycle paths.

• When challenged, those same officers, and therefore Councillors, struggle to find a reason to justify this exclusion.

• Eventually they, like the Department for Transport, state that horse riders may use cycle paths "wherever suitable" (this pronouncement process usually takes about 5 years to squeeze from them).

• The "wherever suitable" claim is now a let-out for Councils which they exploit relentlessly

• The cycle path is too narrow for multi-use (no route over 2 metres wide is too narrow for multi-use, according to two definitive Government Sponsored Research projects by the University of Surrey User Interaction on Multi-user paths 2000 & 2002. The statutory width of a bridleway (multi-user) is minimum 2m although many are narrower).

• The cycle path is too heavily used for multi-use (at least 97% of all users are walkers and cyclists, none of whom are excluded because too many of them use it)

• The cycle path is next to a railway line ( many bridleways run right alongside and over mainline railway lines, as well as over motorways)

• The cycle path goes through a tunnel (all tunnels, mines and aqueducts from pre-Roman to mid Victorian times were constructed and used with the help of horses)

• There are no suitable links for horse riders (I can ride up and down a cycle path on my bike, or walk it on foot just for the pleasure and relaxation of being away from dangerous traffic, but apparently on a horse I am not allowed to do so).

• etc., etc.

Can you imagine cyclists, the majority of whom are men, putting up with this? In this area alone horse riders are being forced to ride along the main Bath to Bristol A4, and the A371 in North Somerset while walkers and cyclists use an almost empty safe cycle path which runs alongside.

The fact is that the majority of women are too busy running households and holding down a job to take on the Department of Transport as well.

We need legislation now to end this dangerous and blatant discrimination against a minority user group. We have created a Govt Petition asking for legislation to ensure all non-motorised users have a statutory right to access all cycle paths, just as they have for bridleways.

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Access4All

If vegans and teetotallers can be given protection against discrimination (report today's Times) then surely the discrimination that is taking place on a daily basis against women and children who suffer appalling and sometimes fatal injuries as a direct result of keeping them off cycle paths should be ended, and they should be given the same protection through the Equalities Bill.

Please help us all by ensuring equal non-motorised access to all cycle paths is included in the Equalities Bill.

I look forward to hearing from you.

With best wishes

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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