Representation by British Horse Society (British Horse Society)
- Date submitted
- 12 December 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am interested in the potential the scheme offers to provide reconnection and improvement to the rights of way around and over the scheme site for horse riders, carriage drivers and all other non-motorised users of off-road rights of way.
I contributed to both Highways England consultations in the run up to the application and am a member of the Local Community Forum for the A303 Stonehenge tunnel project, representing the interests of horse riders and carriage drivers, and all non-motorised users of rights of way.
The scheme before the Inspectorate provides an unprecedented opportunity to link up existing bridleways and byways previously severed by the A303. It provides an off-road access network allowing movement via motorised-traffic-free routes for all vulnerable road users north–south and east–west over the WHS to further afield in all directions, including to Salisbury and Salisbury Plain. From an equestrian point of view, this represents a considerable leisure and business opportunity for local riders and livery yards, including child riders and older riders; all riders are currently unsafe riding on the fast busy roads in the local area.
The creation of a new restricted byway down the route of the old A303 past Stonehenge in particular offers an exciting opportunity for walkers, cyclists, carriage drivers, horse riders and invalid carriages to enjoy a peaceful, traffic free, and payment free view of the Stones.
The issues I would like to focus on are (1) appropriate multi-user route surfaces, either single surfaces or parallel different surfaces, on all new non-motorised routes across the WHS and alongside the new sections of the A303 (to link to existing bridleways and byways); (2) the provision of safe and easy access to parking for walkers, cyclists and horse riders to gain access to the off-road routes over the WHS for free; (3) the provision of a suitable safe road crossing system (preferably a bridge) at the new Longbarrow roundabout for the new bridleway leading out of Winterbourne Stoke and (4) exploring the potential for provision of an off-road link for all non-motorised users from north of the Rollestone Crossroads to the restricted byway at the visitor centre, and on down to the new Longbarrow roundabout.