Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to raise public (a) awareness and (b) understanding of lawful and responsible trail riding.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that all users of the countryside understand how to access and enjoy it lawfully and responsibly. Public access, including for horse riders, is supported by the Countryside Code, which promotes responsible enjoyment of the outdoors, respect for others and protection of the natural environment. This includes keeping to permitted routes, leaving gates as found, and minimising damage to paths and surrounding land.

At a local level, highway authorities also play an important role in raising awareness of lawful and responsible use. They are responsible for managing and maintaining public rights of way, including keeping them free from obstruction, and for producing Rights of Way Improvement Plans (ROWIPs), which assess needs and set out planned improvements. The Government encourages riders to engage with their local authority and review their area’s ROWIP to understand planned improvements and raise concerns about bridleway connectivity and condition.