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Terrified riders say ‘whoa’ to speedy drivers

Sophie Hazan
3/ 9/2003

TERRIFIED horseriders, who they claim both their lives and their mounts are being put at risk by speeding motorists, are to lobby the council to make country roads safe.

Riders from the Adlington Equestrian Centre, on School Lane, and the nearby Skellorn stables, on Skellorn Green Lane, have mostly all had near-misses with fast cars and feel that it is only a matter of time before a horse, rider or driver is seriously injured or even killed.

Now the angered stable folk, who can no longer enjoy hacking out in the once-peaceful countryside, have signed a 50-name petition, listing their complaints and fears in a bid for new warning signs, increased police presence and improved road surfaces.

Almost everyone involved has been clipped, hit or had a narrow escape from passing motorists since they have been riding in Adlington.

The pioneer of the protest, Alison Wainwright, of Nicholson Street, in Macclesfield, was almost mowed down when she was out riding with three other friends.

She said: "The driver never attempted to slow down when he saw us. It was really scary. I have been riding since I was 11. It is unbelievable how things have changed. I used to hack out all over the place without batting an eyelid.

"But now not many people ride out from the yard anymore as they are too frightened."

Drivers are often spotted by the riders overtaking blindly on the hump-back bridge on Street Lane right outside the equestrian centre - an unavoidable part of the journey between the stables and the grazing fields.

The belief is the narrow back lanes are rat-runs - used to dodge the speed restrictions, cameras and police seen on London Road.

Other problems are motorists passing too closely to horses being ridden or led along the roads; people speeding around blind bends and the rising number of horses and riders being hit by passing cars.

Lynn Ringrose, 40, of Hazel Grove, has kept her horses at the Street Lane stables for the last 11 years. She used to take her children, Hayley, 11, and Scott, seven, out in a trap regularly. But these days she is a bit more wary.

She remembers one awful incident when a driver hit her horse and ripped its chest open. She said: "I couldn't believe it. All he was interested in was the damage to his car and getting details for his insurance."

Now the riders want drivers to show them more consideration. They want people to slow down on bends, over bridges and to pass them with care.

Alison added: "People forget that horses are flight animals, given to easily fleeing, and not machines. People really should slow down to 20mph and give them a wide berth. Horses have the right of way.

"It's all in the highway code."