Nicola Greenwood

A bit about me...

"I am passionate about Access. In 2014, I embraced my role as Access and Bridleways Officer covering Wokingham in the face of over 20,000 new homes being planned across the Borough in the form of Strategic Developments. As a yard manager in an urban/rural area, I feel I am in touch with the threat a fragmented bridleway network poses to the horse industry. Increases in housing development will inevitably bring more cars into the area and without new bridleways to help riders avoid increasingly busy roads, many equestrian businesses fear they will not have a future. I lobby to raise the profile of horse riding as a vital part of this country's economy. Responding to planning applications and Council Policy updates including Local Plan, Rights Of Way Improvement Plan, Local Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Plan, Transport and Active Travel plans.

I believe Councils have the power to include horse riding more fully in these plans which could have a huge and very positive effect on the horse industry, helping to address the inequality in the current network. Uniting these policies with a plan to connect the existing bridleway network where necessary, could offer enormous benefits for recreation and Active Travel for local communities and the Country as a whole. Promoting an increase in safer off road routes is very important to me, supporting horse riding as a sport to future proof equestrianism. I also enjoy historic research, putting together Definitive Map Modification Order applications for potential routes that may achieve bridleway or restricted byway status. Horses for me in three words are, passion, livelihood, culture."

Areas covered:

Remenham CP, Wargrave CP, Ruscombe CP, Twyford CP, Charvil CP, Sonning CP, Woodley CP, St Nicholas, Hurst CP, Earley CP, Winnersh CP, Wokingham CP, Wokingham Without CP, Finchampstead CP, Barkham CP, Arborfield and Newland CP, Shinfield CP, Swallowfield CP