This is a snapshot of activities. Please note that Access and Bridleways volunteers are asked to report their activities to the county committees so many of their items will be in addition to the examples below.
1. Amber Valley Active Travel consultation
I attended the webinar to hear about the development of the AVAT plan. The other 19 participants included officers from Amber Valley Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council involved with transport, travel, leisure, social care and environment as well as representatives from CRT, cycling groups and the consultants from PJA.
I was able to ask questions and make some challenges such as the language used to define Active Travel as this should be inclusive of equestrians. I followed up the webinar with an email, advocating equestrian access and providing examples of opportunities for Active Travel routes that have been suggested by local riders and BHS Access and Bridleways Officer in the borough.
2. Active Travel Alliance meeting
I attended the Active Travel Alliance meeting, a group of interested parties from non-statutory organisations interested in Active Travel from Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Active Travel “covers any journey that is made by physically active means, and covers such diverse activities as horse riding, skateboarding, roller skating and riding a scooter.” House of Commons Transport Committee (London, 2019) p6.
3. Reporting issues on bridleways and byways
We’ve all experienced the frustration of a bridleway or byway that is impassable because of a broken gate, fallen tree or damaged bridge. Reporting the issue to the Highways Authority is the first step to take as this way the issue will be formally recorded and must be investigated. There is a step by step guide available here for you. The good news is the BHS Ride Out fund can be part of the solution with some issues, for example by making a contribution to the cost of a replacement gate. Here’s some examples where the Ride Out fund has helped in the East Midlands, thanks to BHS members and volunteers pursuing the issues.